The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-01-11
JAMES HlfI
TALKS RAILROADS
Addressed Association Of Grain and
Cattle Growers.
Nfs
NEW FACILITIES NEEDED
-------------
Business Of the Country Has outgrown the
Truak uues, He Said-Rates Much
Cheaper In This Country Than
Elsewhere.
NEW FACILITIES NEEDED
Ipr Assoc,ated Prnss !,

(Ey Associated tfcSs.1
FARGO, N. D., Jan. 1O.--PreSideHt
James j.. Hill, OF the Northern Pacific
Railway, this afternoon addressed the
Tri-State Association of Grain and Cattle
Growers, which is in session here. Inc
attendance to-day was very large. speak
ing Of the development of the Northwest
Mr., Hill said he thought one kind of
Community of interest which really
existed was that between the producer
of tonnage and the carrier; the land and
its products and the railroads, will either
prosper together or be poor together
Much u.s. he argued, being said about
combination between railroads and COM
petition. The law of the survival OF the
fittest must inevitably end such compeu-
ton as exists by the destruction OF the
weaker by the stronger. This has already
been done in the East he said:
AS TO COMPETITION.
TWENTY-FIVE years ago it was supposed
that competition was necessary 10 reduce
rates l think that We have shown IN me
Northwest that without competition rates
have been reduced faster than any
where else il: the country
Continuing, he said, in part: There has
recently been an attempt to show that
we have no interest in the building UP
of the prosperity of the. people of your
State and of the Northwest. If we did
rot do everything in our power to build
Won I'D we would be false to our best
Interests Our object in acquiring the
Burlington jointly with the Northern Pa
cific Railway was to insure an outlet to
the best markets for grain, livestock ana
lumber Of the Northwestern State ana 10
Increase the volume of your traffic to the
end that we might at all times be en-
abled to establish the lowest rates under
the conditions that traffic must be car
ried. Assuming that the Burlington line
had not been constructed and that the
Great Northern and Northern Pacific
jointly had raised the money and We're
engaged in the construction OF 1t, would
there be, anything TO meet the dlsapproEal
of the State traversed; by the line of the
Great Northern and Northern Pacific?
On the contrary. would not such course
have been hailed with approval as
means of opening markets for North
western produce, and of reacting the mar
kets in the South and Southwest, and of
securing business Increasing the volume
of the traffic of the Great Northern and
the Northern Pacific, thus making re-
duction of rates and adding to the gene
raj prosperity of the Northwest
ALREADY BUILT.
.'Insstead of building the Burlington
system or a line of railway alongside of
it. the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cific purchased the capital stock OF a
line already constructed. Instead of is
suing stock or bonds for the purpose of
raising money for the building of line
reaching The same country bonds We're
issued TO purchase the stock of con-
Structed line.
1.-The capital stock of railroad com7a-
MES as of other corporations will be held
by somebody and somewhere. Inc
question of tie reasonableness of rates
and service does not depenu upon whether
one man owns the capital stock OF a
railway or northumberland the capital
a IL
sand, by persons or by corporations. Inc
capital stock of railway company Is
nersonal property to be solo, .ransferreG
from one man to another and any one
may purchase and hold all that he mas
means to buy and pay TOR
Speaking of compeuaon among ran
,oads Mr.. Hill said: Destructive COM
,,et;,io,, has forced the weakest lines into
hankriiItcy and today they are owned
Nv tbe lines that were able 20 maintain
their position anG credit, having the ablll-
~ To ACQUIRE these bankrupt ROADS. Inc
baltimore and Ohio and the Pennsyivania
for half {. century have been rival Ioaes.
Both States and cities ac.lNeis aiu .s..d 49,
huildin;. them up-destructiVe competition
hetween them has finally resulted IN the
pannsplyania owning the Baltimore and
Ohio.
.1,,ra the rates advanced? Have the
reon,e along the line OF the Baltimore
Snd Ohio suffered? On the contrary, the
srst step has been to furnish money TO
tut down the grades double track the
line from the Ohio River. to Chicago ana
70 Furnish cars and facilities to handle
HE business to the best advantage and at
snch rates, as will enable the shippers
nlopE the line to open up their lines ana
increase their business in every branch OIL
irade and to rely upon solvent company
for the facilities necessary to transact
lneir business.
After speaking of the congeSted state
.s Transportation throughout the country.
Ne said:
"A careful examination of the railroad
problem from a national standpoint will.
believe, show beyond question the bust
hess of the country has outgrown the
facilities on most trunk lines. and that
new facilities not now apparent will be
necessary to relieve the situation. Rates
In the United States are much lower than
In any other country. Wages are higher.
The cost of much of the material is
much higher than in Europe. yet the rate
charged IN Europe is fully twice as high
rs in America. The conditions in this
eountry change very rapidly. While rates
have been cut In two in twenty years.
nll kinds Of labor and materials used by
the railways have advanced from thirty
10 fifty per cent. Nothing but the in
creased volume of traffic has made it
possible to reduce rates as they have
been reduced.
Telesraphic Breriiies.