The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-13

pears Before the Senate Commit
tee On Commerce and Details
Conditions in the Northwest and
on the Pacific COast-Has Ex-
perts in the Orient.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-Before the
senate commerce committee today Mr..
]. ]. Hill, of the Great Northern, spoke
at some length as to the conditions in
the Northwest and on the Pacific
coast. He called attention to the fact
that the United States is now paying
annually 100000, 600 to foreign vessels
for shipping their product, and said
such an outlay as this was only possi-
BILE to a great nation and to a great
country whose financial relations were
like that of the United States, SO good
that nations buying here also borrowed
here the money with which they made
their purchases. It was evident that
our export business would continue to
increase, and with it the expense of
employing foreign shipping unless
something was done to change this
system.
ger Mr.. Hill stated that there had been
a great increase in the expectation of
cotton through the Puget sound ports,
saying at the same time that there
was simply no limit to the production
Of the flour for export. The trouble
was that the millers could not procure
ships in which to make their exports.
Senator Gallinger asked if there had
been an increased demand abroad for
our flour, to which Mr.. Hill replied
that there had been "at a price" He
went on to say that this export had
been largely increased by the low rates
of transportation offered by a subsi-
died Jananese line
Senator Frye asked what would be
the effect Of the passage of this bill
towards securing the establishment of
an American line to the Orient.
Mr.. Hill replied that while he was
not anxious to engage in new enter
prises he felt like saying that in the
event of the passage Of the bill he
would be inclined himself to put on a
line across the Pacific ocean as soon
as it was possible to get ships for it.
The wheat Industry was so important
in his own section of the country that
he felt the establishment Of a line to
export the wheat product Of the Pa
cific coast. including California, Wash
| ington and Oregon, would relieve the
people of his own section as much as
| if the wheat and flour, which this line
| would carry. should be taken from the
| states east of the Rocky Mountains.
| NEED FOR ENCOURAGEMENT
! He spoke in favor of this system for
the Pacific ocean, saying that without
| some encouragement of this sort there
| was not sufficient business to encour-
| age more of them.
| Mr. Hill said he had sent two ex-
| perts to study the conditions in Chi
| ma, India and other Oriental countries
| with the view to gathering an intelli-
| gent estimate of the possibilities OF
| those markets for our American prod
ucts, and also that, after spending
| much time and much conscientious Ia
| bor,to arrive at intelligent results they
had reached, the possibilities were un
| limited His line had refused many
shipments Of agricultural products
| from states east of the Rocky noun.
tains, intended for export to the Ori-
ent simply because there were no yes.
seIs in which to carry them.
Mr.. F. B. Thurber, president Of tn,
Export Association of the United
States, which, he said commanded
an aggregate capital of $12,000,000, de
tailed his experience as promoter a
one time Of a steamship line to Bra
zil which had been a failure simply
because this government had refused
to do more for the line than to pay L
the ordinary rate of postage for car
| rying letters. He said that Brazil hai
paid 100000, while the United State.
had only paid $4,000. Mr.. Thurber com
mended the Hanna bill as a fair com
promise. He said it was favored BY
the administration, and it was, there
fore, evident that it was the only bill
which could pass during the presen
session Of congress