The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-24

by d TeuuCtlOn IN acreage
be forced up, but that was an unnatural
method Supply and demand in Europe
regulated prices People abroad knew
the United States had hundred or two
million bushels extra to sell. There was
one way to help this. not by reducing
acreage. but by widening demand through
an eXtention of commercial relations.
The government alone could do this. In
the history of thirty years no Intelligent
utterance by public men could be found
on the subject of opening new markets.
The national representatives spent too
much time in getting postoffice and local
appropriations. The recent congress had
appropriated $4,000 for improving the
navigation of the Red river. The Great
Northern owned all the boats on Red
river and would sell them for half the
appropriation. The last congress appro-
priated a billion and a half dollars, but
not fifty cents of this was of value to
the grain growers of the Northwest.
UNLIMITED DEMAND.
Along this train of thought Mr.. Hill
touched upon the value of Japanese
line of steamships. He held such boats
could take wheat across the ocean for
$3.50 a ton If properly conducted. Japan
and China could use more wheat than the
United States could export. There would
be no danger of getting too much. Supply
COulQ not SkCe6u OSiIidlIu IL lieit 1iici hOS
could be opened it would do more to
raise the price of wheat east Of the
Rockies than the value Of forty million
bushels shipped to the East. The diff
fcuities of shipping wheat by the eastern
route across the equator and twice
around the horn were obvious. Mr.. Hin
had asked the government to pay sub
sidy of $3.50 per ton for Oriental ship
ments This would have cost a million
and half dollars and would have raised
the value of the wheat product of the
Northwest S35, 600 600. The newspapers
took up the measure and bill was pre-
sented, but its own mother would not
have recognized it. The bill as presented
was principally for the benefit OF ship
builders, and representatives In the ma
tionaI congress should be held respon-
sible.
AS illustrating the injustice Of govern
ment bounties, Mr. Hill instanced the ap-
preparation of a million dollars for the
Improvement of the Mississippi river be-
tween Fort Smelling and Minneapolis, the
only good result of which would be TO
furnish the university students boating
course ST. Paul received million and
quarter, but Northwestern wheat growers
could secure no relief.
STEAMERS TO ORIENT.
In Minnesota the lumber was being ex-
hausted. The state had some iron mines,
but North Dakota had little else than its
soil and it's climate Everything had to
come out of the ground. If 1t were his
duty to provide remedy himself, Mr..
Hill stated he would do so by putting on
line of ships to the Orient. Other coun-
tries had mercantile fleets and foStered
them The United States did not. 1t
was not the fault Of the country, but OF
the people.
MENACE OF TRUSTS.
Then turning to the last phase Of his
address Mr.. Hill warned his hearers that
there was danger of another great crisis,
from the overcapitalization Of enter
prises and from the failure Of trusts. This
would, he believed, be the greatest crisis
in the history of the world. He would
make shareholders responsible for stock
sold after three years. That would be a
preventative to reckless promoting. The
attorney general was criticised for his
refusal to head off the trusts and do his
share to prevent possible disaster. What
influences the actions of the average rep
resentative of the people was, Mr.. Hill
said, beyond his comprehension. The
chief and only aim seemed to be to secure
q reelection.
In closing, Mr.. Hill said he thought the
future prospects of the country depended
entirely on the opening of new markets.
This could be done by refusing to appro-
pirate money for few postoffices and de-
voting it to broader purpose. He asked
the audience to give him credit for hon
esty in his purpose and utterances. He
was glad to see so many experiment sta
ton men here and SO many intelligent
farmers interested in their work
There was frequent applause during the
progress Of Mr.. Hills remarks and
hearty outburst as he closed.
REGULAR BUSINESS.
Considerable important business was
transacted today by the association A
resolution was offered by A M Anson, of
Casselton, declaring that the govern
ment's monthly crop reports are detri-
mental to farmers, as giving information
to foreign spectators, which has a ten
dency to bear down prices, and requesting
the government to discontinue the month
ly reports and issue one annual report
at the end Of the crop season. A motion
by eX-Railroad Commissioner Underwood
to table the resolution was defeated The
convention voted that the resolution
should be sent to Secretary Of Agriculture
Wilson.
A resolution was also adopted asking
the state insurance commissioner to in
vestigate the Fessenden Hall Insurance
company, with view to closing up the
The question box occupied the first
hour, with short talks from Prof Hays
Supt. Gregg, Profs. Bolley and Waldron
and Messrs. Barnes and McKissick. R
N. Lewis, trustee Of the agricultural
college, spoke on rotation of crops and
diversified farming as means to keep up
land for production of hard wheat Mr.
McKissick, superintendent of the May
vile Farm company. read a paper on d.
versified farming and the culture of for
age plants, especially clover.
Secretary Worst read a letter from In
spector Clausen defending Minnesota
grain inspection, also a letter from Con-
| gresham Spalding expressing interest In
| prospective legislation to promote the
| purpose Of the convention. The com
] mittee on grain clearing made tests OF
machinery.
The Cleland seed-cleaning machine
manufactured in Minneapolis, was
| awarded the first prize
Machinery dealers gave mammoth
banquet this evening to the farmers
NINETEEN DEAD.
| Iris, With jrfv