The St. Louis Republic., 1901-01-06

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPCBLTC-
There is something OF the quality OF the
hypnctist about James J. Hill. and grad
ually that influence which induced a man
some years ago TO say, "You must either
agree with Jim Hnl or kill him. is
spreading over the entire railroad and
financial world 1t has grown msrveIousiy
Of late, and all Wall street Is passing TN
der the spelI, 50 much so that simple an
nouncement, made few days ago. that he
and his friends had Joined one Board OF
Directors and purchased stock in another
corporation ran up stock figures OF these
properties amazingly.
1t is q rare quality fer q man to possess
to inspire confidence among thousands OF
men, TO hundreds OF whom he Il unknown.
Mr. Hill possesses that quality TO high
degree. His results with the Great North
ern road were such as to reflect in Northern
Pacific when he Joined that company. TO aid
Baltimore and Ohio when he associated
himtelf with that property, to revivify Erie
at later period and TO stimulate such
rplendld property as Chicago, Milwaukee
end Ct Paul when II became known that
he and his associates had become heavily
interested in the stock Of the company.
To call Mr.. Hill a railroad genius would
Limit Lis qualities within too narrow a field.
To be sue. he is best known as such, but
with that dominant quality he is a master
also in many fields. He IL a Judge OF paint
ings as we'll as OF men. authority on
gems and precious stones as well az on lake
trans portaton: horticulture and agriculture
have received his attention. and # is truly
said OF him that he discovered the bread
basil ct Of the world in the great North
" est His belief in good live stock has led
him to distribute large quantities through
cut Minnesota TO improve the breed OF cat
tie. and 81 has often been said in that State
that Jim Hills black bulls own the
legislature OF Minnesota
Once Called n "JugEier."
NOT 50 many years ago Nr. Hill was re-
gsrded by some OF the Wall street contin-
gent with whom he came in contact in
somewhat the light Of a charlatan- Not that
there was anything that suggested the Jug
gler or mountebank about the somewhat
short. stcckily built man whose deep chest
and broad shoulders are surmounted by a
grand head. covered with shock OF hair.
and face framed in a tang;ed beard. from
which two glinting eyes peer out under
tushy brows. but then he had made The
statement that a railroad could be run and
n aintained at from. 20 10 s. per cert OF its
earnings. and probably IcaS II was
startling proposition.
"RiGiculoGs." crird Wall street. absurd"
''NonSengIcaI." Mere bookkeeping" jug
glery OF figures" With one accord railroad
ana financial experts turned to their books
ard their records. and showed that the ay-
erage Of Operating expenses to earnings
CT all the roads in the country was but 4
trife short OF 20 per cent. and that when
roads were operated for less they. were pc
culiariy favored, or had been marked ont
for inevitable bankruptcy and the protect
ing care OF courts and receivers.
Some men there were who fell under the
hypnotic spell at the outset. They have
never had cause to regret IT. How could
they, when. from operating expenses Of 55.5s
per cent in 1885. for the Great Northern
road. these had been decreased In 1883 TO
Is.s2 per cent: while at the same time the
property was maintained in magnificent
physical condition, had increased its lines.
facilities and adjurcts. and had. while
showing an ever growing surplus. increased
its dividends from 4 to per cent, from
to and then from s to Z?
Hill methods are the methods that all
companies are adopting to-day, and Hill
men, the graduates OF that training school,
the Great Northern Railroad. are the men