The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-05

Special " Inc GlODe.
SPOKANE, Wash, Aug. 4.-Presi-
dent Hill in his address to the Big Bend
farmers today promised them lower
grain rates. and the farmers accorded
both Hill and Mellen a great demon
stration at the close of the meeting.
SPOKANE, Wash, Aug 4.-Grain
rates will be reduced from all points
in Eastern Washington and the reduc-
ton will take place in time to benefit
the farmers on this years crops. The
amount of reduction is not determined,
but conjecture places it at from 1 to 2
cents per busheI.
The Great Northern and the Central
Washington branch of the Northern
Pacific will be connected by a crop
road from Central Washington in
Grand Coulee to Adrian on the Great
Northern. 1t will be eighteen miles in
length and will cost about $350,0O0 and
will be built as soon as the surveys
can be completed, contracts let and the
work done under pressure.
AS a result of this arrangement the
Northern Pacific will cease hauling
eastward to Spokane and thence west
ward toward the coast and will move
their share of tonnage to the terminus
of. the Central Washington branch.
There it will be taken by the Great
Northern and carried to Seattle instead
, of Tacoma as heretofore.
Occasion Unique One.
These announcements were made by
President Mellen, of the Northern Pa
cific at Davenport today. The occas-
ion was unique in the history of the
American railroading. Three railway
presidents, in response to a petition
from the leading farmers of the Big
Bend country, had assembled at the
county seat of Lincoln county to hear
their case, plead their own interests
and render argument. They were
James J. Hill, president of the Great
Northern and Northern Securities, a,
combination with securities rated on
Wall street at more than a billion dol
lars; President Mellen, of the North
ern Pacific, and President A. L. Moh-
Ter, of the Oregon Railway & Naviga-
ton lines of the Hartman system.
With them were a group of lesser not
ables. Public addresses We're deliv-
cred by the three presidents. Then ad-
journment was taken to the armory
where an old-fashioned country dinner
was served to the railway guests and
visitors from the surrounding country.
The presidents entered heartily into
the spirit OF the occasion. Mr. Hill
deposited his hat under his chair, re-
marked that he had not enjoyed him
self so thoroughly in many a day and
rubbed elbows with a wheat grower
from the Egypt country and another
from the Cedar Canyon Camp.
After the dinner hundreds of people
gathered around the railway presi-
dents, shaking hands and listening to
spirited discussions.
Mr.. Hills Theme.
Mr. Hill talked farming and stock
raising. Mr.. Mellen elaborated on his
previous announcement and Mr.. Moh-
Ter spoke of the immigration plans of
the Hartman roads.
All this was preliminary to the real
conference of the day. Various coun-
ties and districts had sent delegations
to the convention and after dinner
these delegates reassembled in the
convention hall and through their
spokesman laid their wishes before the
railway presidents. The large hall was
packed to the doors, and
scores of farmers, fruit grow
ers and miners stood in the
aisles. Many sat on the carpeted floor.
Earnestness was stamped upon their
features and earnestness ran through
all their speeches. Mr.. Hill was the
only president speaking at the confer
ence. He answered many questions
from time to time, offered numerous
voluntary explanations of matters that
seemed all wrong to the farmers and
repeatedly asked the farmers to speak
out their beliefs and convictions.
In his speech President Hill vigor-
ously attacked legislation on railway
rates, saying:
"As we'll to set a broken limb by
statutes as to adjust rates. You can
legislate until the barn doors rot off.
The best thing to do is to act as you
have here, with the officials. We will
try to act in such a way that you will
realize that we are doing something
fair and in good faith.
Must Make a New Market.
what you want is the highest price
from any store. You want a new mar
ket. You must make more people use
your stuff Statesmen will tell us how
to do this, but they get a considera-
ton for doing so. I cannot find in pub
lie acts one intelligent thing that you
have done to get new markets. / don't
know any place where you have not
been left to shift for yourselves as
farmers. You have crops that keep
you busy for four months in the year.
You want to do something the rest of
down nail kegs. What you should do
is to raise stock, roots, forage. There
is nothing better than raising stock"
He was frequently applauded and