The Dickinson press., 1901-12-28

IdPiuAy growing OSLAohANoV VI F~S"SS 49,
q naster-hand always guided and funds
were not appropriated until available.
New lines we're thoroughly built and with
a view to not require further snpendi.
ture until fully sslf-sustaining. The line
west of Minot was built several years
ahead Of time and evidently taxed the
genius of the master as we'll as the re-
sources of the original property. Mr..
Hill was a democrat at that time and a
sponsor of Grover Cleveland. but he
found out that theorists are only too
often the bane Of practical industry, and
he set about and did his full share toward
remedying the awful evils Of disorgan-
lied state Of industry, lack of confidence
and idleness in commercial realms.
During this period the criminal folly
Of paralleling existing lines of railway
was fully emphasized and made mani
fest to the investing public. II. was
further manifest that so long as the pub
lie permits the construction Of public
utilities out Of proportion to public needs,
that the public in turn must bear the
burden OF such folly, distributed directly
or indirectly wei US all. 1t may surely
for the time being benefit scalpers and
that portion Of the public seeking special
privilege in transportation, freight rates
and the like. but no sane man can for a
moment believe that ruin or destruction
of property can come to any consider
able portion Of the investing puhlSc with
out in turn sowing germs of dosbt and
hesitancy throughout the commercial
sphere.
So to Mr.. Hills eternal credit be it said
that he was wei faithful to his stock
holders and his creditors. while being
faithful to himself.
The talent he has employed in his
management stands as an example TO
American intelligence and brains, which,
during improvements OF methods and
consideration for public needs has been
guided bv such men az Somers, Clark,
Barr, Harding and Newman. Mr.. Miller
must be Of the same order, though
have not come in contact with him, but
the popularizing of the management has
continued steadily under his rule. And
withal the Cassius of the administration
MIR. Grover still holds sway. Over all,
j. ]. Hill-"his strength showing itself in
patience and poise."
All men ( be successful must keep
close to Mother Earth, and forget no
the elements of matter and form, and the
eternal fitness of things, likewise the
need of health and strength in the indi.
vidual az we'll as in the public. The
most potent factor in Mr.. Hills recent
evolution has been the display of healthy
symptoms.
Only a few years ago William II
Vanderbilt, when he felt some of the
jol,s Of public feeling. remarked: "the
public be damned" and William die
not live many years after that-demon
strating that only a sick man talked
man with some organic d%erangemen'
Fastening toward dissolution.
Aside from the fact that in recen
years the Great Northern has shifted il
public estimation toward occupying
place in public approval formerly occu
pied by the Northern Pacific. and tn
latter in many instances showing a dis
g~runtled mind indicative of liver com
plant, or the equity individual wit
money to burn but nothing to spare il
line of good health, l would like to hav
some one tell me wherein there ever ex
listed any difference in the tariff sheet
of the three principal railroad of Nortl
Dakota before OF after the merger be
came a probability.
Conceding then, that railroads whethe
merged or not are amenable to publ
opinion, as we'll as to constitutional stat
laws-which means public control-wha
have we to fear from a merging of tn
Great Northern and Northern Pacif
railway in North Dakota.
What would we lose by having freigh
shipped from Fargo to Hope and vicinit
or to Portland and Mayville and inter
mediate points via Cassclton. instead c
going 100 miles around via Wahpeton t
reach those points?
In the light Of practical operation VIVA
would be lost by operating the doubl
, track between Saux Rapids, MIMI, an
Minneapolis as a double track instea
Of operating this double track railroa
as two single track linesi 1t would Gel
tainly expedite traffic, give greater scop
to equipment and not jeopardize the il
terests of the public.
What would be lost by having joir
tariffs with interchange Of local trafi
between Great Northern and Norther
Pacific territory in North Dakota7
If such improvements were possible
it would be = public advantage, br
vested interests in both properties migf
In some cases be ieopardized. beside
one cannot alter in a day o a year, tn
fixed results of a magniied molecula
motion that has been in force for man
years.
While l am in principle opposed
every form Of monopoly yet ] have fait
: in our form of government, and conf
dence in our courts, as welltas the goo
sense Of the people, aud the unwritte
law Of integrity and fair dealings and
every enactment prohibiting the mergin
of parallel lines of railways were stricke
: from the statute books, the general pull
: lie eventually would be better served 9
!. less cost than ever seemed possible j
our previous history. j. E. PHELAN.