The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-01-16
JAMES ]. HILL to the
GRAIN GROWERS
Tlr. Hills Speech Before the Grain
Growers Convention at Fargo,
North Dakota.

Fargo, n. D., Special. Jan. 10.-This was
HUI day in the Tri-state Grain and Stock
Growers convention. Ii was the final
wind-up Of a most successful four days
session, and the close was in the nature
of an ovation 10 the president OF the
Great Northern railway and the recently
organized Northern Securities company.
Great interest was aroused i'm Mr.. HIS
appearance here and had increased since
its original announcement. Each day
since the convention started had aug
mcnted the attendance, and to-day was
the banner one Of the meeting.
Mayor Johnson introduced President
Hill in "a complimentary edlogistic
speech as the man the audience had come
10 hear. His reference to the lberalty of
Mr.. Hin in providing free excursions for
North Dakota farmers TO the North Da-
kota agricultural college brought forth a
lot Of applause. When President Hin
arose to speak there was another oya-
ton. He said:
MIR. HIS speech.
want to present to you to-day some
important figures which / think will es-
tablish many facts that are OF great in
terest to all the people Of this country,
and more especially to the people OF the
Northwest.
An advance in the material prosperity OF
our country has always marked an i'm
pTovement in the condition of the people.
Every United States census from 1850 to
1900 shows an average growth which has
practically doubled the population of the
country about every thirty years. At the
close OF the Civil war this country con-
tanned. say 34.oO0O0O of people; since that
time we have added fully 46,OOO.OO0 of peo-
pie. At the average rate OF the increase
OF the past one hundred years we should
have at least I50.0O0,Ooo of people by 1880
The present increase is more than one and
half millions annually.
rhn H. gFar. ~ ant ion, tfNp
self TO every individual and to every COM
munits Isl Where will they go and what
VIII they do to secure for themselves COM
Portable homes and the ability to educate,
their children and to bring them up in
such manner as will make them good
useful citizens OF the republic?
At the close of the war large portion
Of the'States of Iowa, Wisconsin and Mn
nesota were government lands, open for
homesteads, and practically all the country
west Of these states to the Pacific ocean
was open to settlement. The census re
ports show that large portion of the in
creased population has gone into this new
country and built up cities and states.
opened up prosperous farming commun!-
ties and dotted the land with schools and
churches-every evidence of
American Enterprise nnd Progress.
Nearly one-half of the capital of the
country Is invested in agricultural land
making ii productive Nearly one-half OF
the population of the country is directly
or Indirectly connected with the cultiva-
tion of the soil. and II we judge from all
the experience of the past. the agricui-
tural nalf OF the population has done more
than its share I'm everything that goes To
benefit the country as q whole; that half
has always shown itself more Intelligent
more patriotic. and in every way the
sheet-anchor of the nation. When mea
have been called 70 defend the flag of our
country the farmers sons have always
been ready to step to the front and an
swer TO the call. While the farmers are
ready to go ten miles on election day to
cast their votes, others hang around the
polls in the cities waiting to sell their
votes. From the farmers sons In New
England and the Middle and Western
states are constantly recruited the num-
bers or those who engage in the profess
sions and the various walks OF business
ana their individual successes clearly es-
tabhsh their right to be placed in the
front rank wherever they have been
called. My observation leads me to be-
heVe that the nation at large has more to
expect from those who cultivate the soil
than from all others combined
HOW are we to provide homes for our
Rapidly Increasing Population.
Most of the lands that will produce crops
every year and are susceptible of culti-
tant question to-day before the states
men of the nation is: How can the re
naming lands best be made TO furnish
homes for the rapidly crowding popula-
ton? little reflection will show
every individual man that IL is only by
the wisest action on the part OF the gem
eral government by well-matured plans
for irrigation and every other means
which viii make available every portion
OF the country that is or can be made
susceptible of cultivation. There is a
movement among few of our statesmen
90 secure this end. In some localities In
the West this movement is opposed by
cattle and shecpmen who desire to retain
these lands for their own purposes. In
some cases an effort is being made TO in
duce congress TO convey the lands to the
several states, to be disposed OF by them
This latter movement can only end in
failure. The lands would be frittered
away or practically given away or APP
propriated without benefiting any con-
siderable number of people. 1 consider
the'future welfare OF the country depends
more upon the wise disposition OF the
public domain, so as to secure homes for
the people. than upon any other single
condition I'm our nation. our country is
large; our population and occupations
differ as widely as the climate and nat
ural conditions differ. Every congress
shows an active effort being made TO Sc
cure some advantage TO some local dis
trict, overlooking. as l think, the broad
general fact that the nation should and
must prosper as a whole.
In 1896 this country settled the question
of a gold standard; the universal want Of
confidence prior to that time came to an
end; people who had money to invest
were no longer afraid that IL they put
out a 1OO-cent dollar they would be
compelled to take 5o-cent dollar in re-
turn, and now the business OF the coun-
try Is marching forward at rate greater