The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-01-17
JAMES ]. HILL to the
GRAIN GROWERS
rr. Hills Speech Before the Grain
Growers Convention at Fargo,
North Dakota.

Fargo, N. D., Special, Jan. 10.-This was
Hill day in the Tri-state Grain and Stock
Growers convention. 1t was the nnal
wind-up of a most successful four days
session, and the close was in the nature
of an ovation to the president of the
Great Northern railway and the recently
organized Northern Securities company.
Great interest was aroused in Mr.. Hills
appearance here and had increased since
its original announcement. Each DAY
since the convention started had aug
mented the attendance. and to-day was
the banner one of the meeting.
Mayor Johnson introduced President
Hill In a complimentary euloSlstlc
speech, as the man the audience had come
to hear. His reference to the liberality of
Mr.. Hill in providing free excursions for
North Dakota farmers to the North Da-
kota agricultural college brought forth b
lot Of applause. When President Hill
arose to speak there was another ova-
tion. He said:
MIR. HIPS Speech.
I want to present to you to-day some
important figures which l 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
.prOvement 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 $4,000 900 of people; since that
time we have added fully 46, 600, 900 of peo-
pie. At the average rate of the increase
of the past one hundred years We should
have at least $50, OO0,OOO of people by 1880.
The present increase is more than one and
q half millions annually.
The ~all-important question presenting It.
self to every individual and to every COM
munity is: Where will they go and what
will 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 a large portion
OF the States of Iowa, Wisconsin and Min
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 a large portion Of the in
creased population has gone into this new
country and built up cities and states.
opened up prosperous farming communi-
ties and dotted the land with schools and
churches-every evidence of
American Enterprise ana Progress.
Nearly one-half of the capital of the
country Is invested in agricultural land
and what goes with it for the purpose of
making 1t productive. Nearly one-half of
the population of the country is directly
Or indirectly connected with the cultiva-
ton OF the soil, and If we judge from all
the experience of the past, the agricul-
tural half Of the population has done more
than Its share in everything that goes tn
benefit the country as a whole; that half
mas always shown itself more intelligent,
more patriotic. and in every way the
sheet-anchor Of the nation. When men
nave been called to 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 so 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 OF those who engage in the profess
sions and the various walks of business.
and their individual successes clearly es-
tablish their right to be placed in the
front rank wherever they have been
called. My observation leads me to be-
neve that the nation at large has more to
expect from those who cultivate the soil
Shan from all others combined.
The largest area of unoccupied land
where green trees and green grass grows,
ana where clear water runs. lies in the
zone between Lake Superior and the Pa
clilc ocean, and to the settlement and de-
NCioPiHcHl VI lllS country We must look
Tor the increase of our ira fife and the
future value of our investment in rail-
ways.
How are we to provide homes for our
Rapidly increasing Population.
Most of the lands that will produce crops
gerry year and are susceptible of culti-
Walton are already occupied. The inpor-
tant question to-day before the states
men or the nation is: How can the re-
manning lands best be made to furnish
homes for the rapidly crowding popula-
fion? A little reflection will show
every individual man that 1. 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 will make available every portion
OF the country that is or can be made
susceptible of cultivation. There is a
movement among a few of our statesmen
TO secure this end. In some localities In
the West this movement is opposed by
cattle and sheepmen who desire to retain
these lands for their own purposes. In
some cases an effort is being made to in
uuce 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
4 uPOlA lac VIC olopOSlllOu Ol tNt
public domain, SO as to secure homes for
the people, than upon any other single
condition in 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 q gold standard: the universal want Of
confidence prior to that time came to an
end; people who had none to invest
were no longer afraid that II they put
out q 1OO-cent dollar they would be
compelled to take a 5O-cent dollar in re-
turn. and now the business Of the coun-
try IL marching forward at a rate greater
than has ever been known in our history
or in the history OF the world. Our at
tentton IL frequently called to the enor-
NOUS balance Of trade In our favor; n
other words, the amount Of money we
receive for what we sell is above that