Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1902 — GOV. VAN SANT SEEKS AID. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GOV. VAN SANT SEEKS AID.

Outlines to His Merger Litigation Plans. Gov. Van Sant unfolded to the Minnesota Legislature in special session his plan of campaign against the Northern

Securities Co mpany. He expressed the opinion that the present State lliws forbidding the c o n s o 1 i d ation of parallel or competing lines are Adequate to the case, said that if further legislation should be needed he would communicate again with the law-mak-ers, and suggested that a sum of money be placed at the disposal of the legal department of

the State sufficient to employ associate counsel and properly to continue the litigation. Gov. Van Sant's communication was in the form of a message, dealing principally with 'legislation recommended by the tax commission, the enactment of which was the main object for calling the Legislature in extra session. A special section is devoted to the railroad merger. He says: “At this time I desire to inform the Legislature of tho suit brought by the State of Minnesota against the Northern Securities Co. of New Jersey. Believing that this corporation was organized for the purpose of evading and violating the laws of Minnesota by consolidating the properties of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific companies, which companies rup parallel and are competing lines of railway within the State, I requested Attorney General Douglass to bring suit in the name of the State to prevent such connections. Knowing that several other States in addition to Minnesota would be affected by this consolidation and that the declared' public* policy of such States through constitutional or legislative provisions was similar to that of our State, I deemed it wise to call a conference of the Governors and Attorneys General of the States through which the lines of railway pass in order that such -method of procedure might be adopted as riouk be uniform.” —'

GOV. VAN SANT.