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Show GATEWAY Supreme Court Decides in Favor of the Northern Pacific Washington, March 7. The Northern North-ern Pacific railway today won Its fight in the so-cnlUd Portland gatp way case before the supreme court of the 1'nited States. This controversy tvas over the attempt at-tempt of the Interstate Commerce) commission to require tho Northern Pacific to Join with other railroads In establishing a through passenger loute and Joint rales from the east to Pnget Sound territory via Portland. Oregon. It has been waged fiercely by the contesting Interests in the northwest. After many complaints lo the com mission, an investigation into th. whole subject was undertaken. The inquiry showed that the Northern"" Pacific Pa-cific declined to enter Into a Joint rate, agreement with the Union Pacific and other Ilaninian roads for passengers from the east to Tacoma and similar point 8 via Portland. This request wan based on the claim, that it alreadv provided a satisfactory and reasonable reason-able route from th. east to Tacoma territory via Hillings, Montana. The commission finally ordered the making of Joint rates via Portland. It disregarded thi- contention of the Northern Pacific that, under the law. there already being a 'satisfactory and reasonable" route. It could not require re-quire the making of another route. To j.eroiis who might object to the climate cli-mate of the Northern Pacific route. who wanted lo slop over along the southern route for purposes of seeing the scenery and for business, the eomml?ion held that the northern route might not be a satisfactory and reasonable route. Chairman Knapp dissented from tills conclusion, holding that a roue thai was shortest in time and distance dis-tance and equal to any other In the comforts provided for the traveler, could not be un unreaon ible route. To ordtr was taken to the courts, and the United States district court of Minnesota held tl.at the commission commis-sion exceeded Its authority In lsruing tin- order. An appeal was taken to the supreme court. In announcing the decision of the court. Justice Holmes said that the comml?slon had power to require a new route only when no reasonable or satisfactory route already existed. The reason iisplcned by ihe commission commis-sion at- why the Northern Pacific route vap not a satMacinry or re a. ponable one rould onh bo maintained by giving the words of the s'aiute. aa artificial meaning. He approved. In MibbUncu, the petition tikeu by Chairman Knapp |