The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-08-01
Manchurian Railway Man
ager Closeted With Hill.
TRADE WITH ORIENT
It Would Be Vastly Encouraged by
Such an Alliance.
A BENEFIT TO THE TWIN CITIES
They Would Become an Important
GATEWAY on a Busy Line
of Commerce.

DSSp fSlSulucance aIIacQeS TO the VlSlL
Of NJ. fRobert Barber, president of the
RussotChina bank and general manager of
the Nanchurian railway, to St. Paul.
The object of his visit was to see James
j. Hill, of the Great Northern road, and
-he man whose heart and brain are set
? upon the development of oriental trade.
The fact that Mr.. Barber was in close
conference with the Great Northern's
president during his stay in st. Paul seems
TO have been overlooked by the st. Paul
papers, but that the distinguished visitor
came to St. Paul to see James ]. Hill
and no other man is not to be questioned.
The dream Of commercial conquest of the
orient which has so long engaged the
splendid abilities Of Mr.. Hill is to be real
lied. 1t has been demonstrated by
school boy, sent forth by William R.
Hearst, millionaire journalist, that the
quickest route around the world is across
Europe and Siberia, over the new trans
Siberian railway, thence across the Pa
cifc ocean to Puget sound, and then by the
Great Northern railroad to Minneapolis
and Chicago. The significance of this
demonstration must be apparent to all.
Mr.. Hill has discovered the Pacific outlet.
The old Atlantic, which like right arm
has been used almost exclusively for cen
turies, must now meet strong left-armed
competition. The Pacific route, the trans
Siberian railway, and the Hill line of
steamers plying between the Pacific coast
and the orient, mean that Mr.. Hill has
solved the problem of superior service via
the Pacific ocean, and is in position to
command the cooperation of the CONNER
cial factors in the orient.
1t is now a question of details. The
outlines of the grand scheme for captur-
ing the trade of the orient have been
fixed The presence of NJ. Robert Barber
in st. Paul can have but one significance,
and that is the adjustment Of details in
connection with the colossal plans of Mr.
Hill.
Samuel HfITs Significant Trip.
1t should not be forgotten in this con-
nection that Samuel Hill, son-in-law of
James J. Hill, and a well versed student
of oriental commerce, has just returned
from trip around the world. He made a
trip over the famous Siberian railroad,
landing at Vladivotok. Mr. Hill has been
in Russia before. and it is admitted that
this second trip was not undertaken for
pleasure In fact it is known that the trip
was made for the purpose of studying the
traffic possibilities of the new line and the
country to be supplied with the products
which the Great Northern can get to the
orient In quick time. Of course the COM
munity of interest idea enters here, as the
Northern Pacific, financed by the greatest
bankers in the world, is a twin factor in
this gigantic scheme.
Twin Cities Benefited.
To sum up, oriental traffic alliances of
James ]. Hill mean the opening up for
Minneapolis of the markets of Russia.
Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Hill
boats will be the fastest that cross the
Pacific. The traffic arrangements with
railroads under Russian domination mean
the commercial supremacy of the western
United States. China, Japan and Russia
are open to the markets not only of Min
neapolis but the entire northwest Grain
products will find quick and ready mar
ket by the Pacific route, and all staples
accessible to the great lines of transpor-
tation developed by the Great Northerns
president will eventually go, not by the
Atlantic 'seaboard, as they have done for
centuries, but by the new Pacific route,
which offers limitless market.
version of traffic is apparent, but that the
great west, and the twin cities in particu-
lar, will be benefited there is no doubt.