The Indianapolis journal., 1902-08-21
ADDRESS BY j. j. HILL
TRADE WITH THE ORIENT AND
OTHER MATTERS DISCUSSED.
nal, but Thinks the Mississippi
should BE Improved.

ST. PAUL Aug. 20.-President J. J. Hill,
of the Northern Securities Company, ad-
dressed the Transmississippi Commercial
Congress this afternoon on "Our Trade
with the Orient" a topic on which he has
come to be regarded as one of the authori-
ties. He sketched briefly the trade of the
Orient and the various movements directed
towards securing it in times past. From
the opening of Japan TO foreign trade with
that country trade has increased ten-fold.
The popula tion Of the Orient with which we
might trade constitutes about one-half the
population of the earth. He discussed the
prospective trade with the Chinese people,
whom he regarded as more enterprising and
better business men than the Japanese. He
paid a high tribute TO the Chinese, saying
no people on earth could drive intelli-
gent Chinaman out of a commercial propo-
sition. Lack of adequate transportation ia
cilities greatly hinders trade Our trade
there is capable Of infinite development.
All the European countries go across two
oceans to reach that trade, which they
greatly desire while we need cross but one.
Mr.. Hill gave briefly idea of the great
development in our trade there in recent
years. The first American cotton went to
Japan and China six years ago, lack of
transportation having previously prevented
its use. The shipment Of cotton has con-
stantly and greatly increased every year
since and now his road had been COM
PEELED to refuse orders for as much as 5000
bales of cotton in one month because of the
lack Of shipping facilities The shortest and
cheapest route from the cotton fields to the
Orient is by way of Puget sound. He told
In some detail of the plans now under way
to handle this growing traffic. As low rates
can be given across the Pacific from any
point in the United States as they now
have from New York via the Suez canal.
Speaking of the proposed isthmian ship
canal, Mr.. Hill declared he would not lay
straw in the way of its construction at an
expense of some $500, 900 900. but in his opin-
ion sS5 OOO, 900 to $40 600 600 spent in deepen
ing the channel of the Mississippi between
St. Louis and New Orleans will give far
better results in the end AS to money
spent on the Improvement of the upper
waters of that same river he thought ii
would be much better invested in irrigating
the arid regions of the great West. The
railroads were not in the habit Of taking
into consideration river rates north of st.
Louis in fixing their railroad rates, for the
reason that the river business in that Sec
tion was comparatively small and of little
value.
Mr. Hill suggested that for irrigation il
would be the best plan for the government
to irrigate and develop one thousand acres
of land at a probable expense of So or SO
an acre. then sell II for from SIS TO $40
acre, thereby creating a fund from
which to carry on further irrigation
schemes without any expense beyond that
In discussing the trade which the rail-
roads and steamship lines would best be
able to carry to the Orient he argued that
that which brought speediest relation
weuld be the most profitable investment
insisting that chief attention should be
paid TO the farm products throughout the
entire Western country, and that it would
prove to be very poor policy to depend on
| the development of slower manufacturing
| enterprises or on the less sure mining
wealth of the West The railroads wanted
| products which would make haul for
| them both ways, thereby making possible
! lower rates on what hauled.