The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-25
MIR. HILLS ADDRESS.


ing. the convention of the Grain Grow
ers' association which closed Thursday
evening at Fargo, N. D. The attendance
was composed of practical Northwest
farmers, agricultural scientists from col
leges and experiment stations. and many
others who had witnessed the wonderful
development of the agricultural resour-
ces of the Northwest from its inception.
Prominent among the latter was Presi-
dent j. ]. Hill. of the Great Northern
railroad
which much had been expected and which
exceeded expectations. 1t was a vaiu-
able summary Of forty years experience
among those who have pushed the agri-
cultural industries of the Northwest to
the front. Not a word was wasted, and
in every sentence was the ring of TRUTH
because he gave to his auditors not the
ories. but facts; not speculative problems
which the future of this section of the
Union can be surely predicated.
The central thought of the address,
around which were grouped suggestions
concerning other branches of agriculture
which contribute valuable auxiliaries to
diversified farming. related to the wheat
industry. Mr.. Hill was speaking in a
state the resources of which were con-
fined almost exclusively to agriculture
Other states possessed mining and lum-
Der industries in addition to facilities for
wheat growing. North and South Da-
kota are pre-eminently dependent on ag-
riculture alone. He paid a glowing tribute
to the Red river valley, its land, its eli
mate and it's people. With railroad rates
from 10 to 10 per cent lower than from
any other wheat section. the speaker
could see no reason why lands in North
Dakota should sell for less than similar
tracts in Iowa. Upon the question of
farm economies the valuable advice sug-
gested by Mr. Fiji cannot fail of profit to
the farmers. Pure seed, summer fal-
fundamental principles commended.
But 1t was upon the subject of wider
markets that Mr.. Hill dwelt more impress
sively. No unnatural methods, he held,
such as reduction of acreage to raise
prices. We're possible or practicable. Sup
ply and demand had ever, would ever
regulate the price of grain, as In every
thing else. To increase the demand. to
reach now fields of export. to open up a
market in the Orient, was the great prob
lem now before them and which would
remain before them until such time as
legislators should step aside from the
small game Of politics and pass a few
laws for the benefit of millions. Con-
gressional legislation in aid of line of
Oriental steamers was a legitimate and
just demand of the producers of the
Northwest What other countries did
for their merchant marine, our own
country refuses to do.
1t was in no spirit of advocacy of con-
gressional extravaganza that Mr.. Hill
dwelt upon this important question. 1t
could be done without increasing the bud
get one dollar. All that is required is
judicious, common sense financial legiS-
lation. This position assumed by Mr.. Hill
is correct For what can be said of a
congress that will appropriate 100000
for Mississippi river improvement be-
tween Fort Smelling and Minneapolis and
refuse million and a half subsidy to
increase the value of Northwestern wheat
products $35 1000, 600? Yet the fact that it
did appropriate the one and refuse the
other is matter of congressional record
other glaring extravagancies in different
sections of the country, all for political
effect and without Industrial encourage
ment There is, however no doubt but
for Asiatc waters will, in time, be grant
ed. Not only our colonial interests in that
quarter but the home interests of our
farmers demand it.
The remarks of Mr.. Hill upon the sub
ject of trusts were significant. In these
GargantuaH combinations of mercantile
industries he could see nothing but i'm
pending financial disaster. Over-capital-
ization would, he believed, If permitted
to proceed unchecked. produce the great
est crisis in the worlds history. And the
1f ~,
fact that Mr.. Hill has sounded warn
ing note that the people, il wise, will not
allow to pass unheeded.
STOLEN THUNDER.
If there was ever case of stealing