The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-17
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STATES FOR LIGHT
Continued from First Page.

Continued from First Page
involved, it is certain that every south
ern state represented in the convention
will oppose federal plans, and will
promise that it will cooperate with the
other states for the enactment Of a uni
form system of state laws.
The president himself, realizing the
difficulties in way of action by con-
gress, has encouraged the Chicago con-
vention scheme. He will not make any
further moves until he finds out what
is likely to happen as a result of that
! convention.
1t is noteworthy that the convention
has been called for SO early day as.
February early with reference to the
adjournment of congress, which sits un-
TIL summer. Should the convention seem
! to fail, then the question can be urged
anew in cohgress-as last resort.
! Southern Railway Merger.
! Great pressure is being brought to
|. bear upon the president and Attorney
General Moody to secure federal prose-
cution Of the Southern railway merger.
Numerous petitions, the main one from
the Shippers association Of Cincinnati,
were presented to the president last
summer, and were by him turned over
| to the department Of justice. Repre-
sentatiyes of the Cincinnati shippers
are now in this city, pressing their case,
I and today they were given hearing
4 by the attorney general, who will later
make up his mind what to do. The ship
4 pers cite the Northern Securities mer-
4 ger and the decision of the supreme
4 court which squelched it, and want the
same remedy, under the Sherman law,
applied for their relief.
i The Southern railway is now one of
the most powerful railway organizations
:: in the country. It controls the country
between the Mississippi river and the
q Atlantic coast, and between the Ohio
river and the Gulf of Mexico, includ.
). ing all terminal points and gateways
:, The entire south is at it's mercy. The
; properties comprising the merger were
: bought and Immediately, as is the usua
Z custom with merger schemes, the CAPT
: tai was doubled, and is now $3.50 900,
000, on which there must be dividends
resulting in a probable stiffening Of
rates and the curtailing of the priv
leges enjoyed by southern shippers fo
many years.
This Southern merger is so mucl
greater than old Great Northern AM
Northern Pacific merger as to be in
class all by itself, and southern ship
pers feel that the growth of their sec
ton ought not to be thus subject to tn
8 whims, caprices and prejudices of fe,
men in Wall street.
Word that tharo NOV ho orosoo,4:o
under the Sherman law has reache
Wall street and the new company j
having some difficulty in substitutin
it's enlarged bond issue for bonds g
It the separate companies making up til
t. merger. One prominent southern fnal
y cier, for instance, who holds a lare
n block of bonds, Of the Atlantic Coas
Is Line, says he will not surrender thes
n bonds and take new merger: bonds III
d less be first knows what the goyernme1
D. will do. = r:
II 1t is asserted that the Northern S
N curities decision will apply in near
es every respect to the Southern merge
If and that the government cannot fail
y. win any suit it may institute. Mea
26 while, the attorney general has hea,
to the petitioners for the purpose of ha
s. ing them tell him what will be game
Of along practical lines, if prosecution
be decided upon. He does not want to S
the government machinery in motto
n and have it 60 spinning around .
at creased tracks, without any forwa
X movement. II, he. can be shown he
C. prosecution and conviction can be /
tn practical help. to the southern peopl
tic he will begin it. But if there is to
n no help, if the railroads will aeeol
les Iplish their purpose by some other meaI
Ills as they have done in the Northern S
IN, curities case, he will want southe
&C. shippers to- show what is to be gain
IL by prosecution. Il. - ..>
on The Senate and Lane.
The failure of the senate thus far
lus confirm the nomination of Lane of c.
Ies ifornia as member of the intersta
~ commerce commission is in no wise CT
gu nected with the senate's opposition
az the president, either as to the isthmi
canal or railway-rate legislation. It
due simply to q question of partiz
ia. politics which, it is believed, will
satisfactorily answered as considerati
of the case progresses. Lane is der
crat. He may at times have support
republican candidates, but his politi
affiliations have always been with
lhI democratic party, and he comes bef'
WI the senate as representative of tt
" party. 1t SO happens that if Lane sho1
be confirmed, the democrats will hs
a majority of one on the commissi
~ he having been nominated in place
ion former Governor Fifer of Illinois,
h signed. But this argument has not or
he force when it is remembered that
are term Of Judge Judson G. Clemel
;no member of the commission, will EXP
,tly next year, thus giving the president
Of opportunity to name republican in
the place
~. But even if he should fail to do
em- the partisan opposition to Lane is s
emit not well founded, for it is well kno
the that after congress passes railr
ow. rate biil-and it will pass some k
arv of bill during this session-it is
ress intention of the president to reorga1
of the interstate commerce commission.
ba. is believed that not to exceed two Of
mai present members will be retained, pl
ono ably Judge. Knapp, chairman,
inns Judge Prouty, who for years have
the nished the brains and energy of