River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-10-09

Some think that 1 dine off the fresh roast
shoulder of my neighbors every day, but
/ assure you that I don't applause
and laughter) I don't want to. l don't
eat any more than I ever did. I don't
wear any more than I ever did and / am
easily satisfied with both. Oaughter.)
But if you will consider this on the lines
| have stated you cannot this year de-
clare or in all time separate the land
from the railroad. A man might quarrel
with the railroad company or become
dissatisfied or for any other reason sell
his land and move away, and L might
sell out and some one else might come
and run the railroad but the railroad
will be there and the land will be there
and they will have the same contest and
they will prosper together OF be poor
together now and forever 20 the end of
time"
AS to Trusts.
Mr.. Hill then alluded to his recent visit
to the coast and to his meeting there with
the farmers of Washington and to the
pleasant interview he had with them. He
declared that he liked to meet farmers
because they are nearest to the soil. He
praised the laW-abiding spirit which OBJ
tains among all agricultural communities
and the patriotism which has at all times
characterized the farmers of the country.
Continuing, he said:
your chairman said that there are
great many people apprehensive of the
great Industrial enterprises which are be-
ing carried on, and well they may be.
There are so-called industrial enterprises
whose only industry is in running print
ing presses to print shares of stock.
tell you, if there is no harm in an enter
prise. If there are five ten of them
that are good there is no bad in them,
and when you put them together there is
no bad in the entire mass. But if the
object is to get something for nothing, to
get something that does not belong to
them, to get money out of another mans
pocket, the money he has worked for, and
put it into their own-if that is the object
it is all wrong; but some Of these great
enterprises are absolutely sound and
right"
Opposes Congressional Control.
Mr.. Hill referred to the steel works Of
Krupp and Carnegie as examples of
terprises which are right The molding
trust, the leather trust and the bicycle
trust and others he referred to as. among
those which are not intended to be pros
porous. Continuing, Mr.. Hill said:
Some people, advocate, president
advocates, turning everything over to the
congress. What sort of a congress would
we have after awhile if all the business
of the country were turned over to 1t?
1 think they would be doing business in
the hall of congress, but the business they
would do would not bring business to you
that you want. ] think / should hold
every man responsible for himself and his
own acts. If he does wrong, punish him;
if he does right, protect him. When that
is done those questions will take care of
themselves. When l took the Great
Northern railroad twenty-three years ago
there were $50 miles of finished track and
they were at work on 300 more. Now,
we have 5000 miles. The road carried
then 258 900 bushels of wheat and no
oats, no barley and no flax. This year
it will carry of wheat, oats, barley and
flax
A Hundred Million Bushels.
We pay taxes to the state on our earn
ings. amounting to per cent Of our gross
earnings. The earnings from China,
Washington, Idaho and all roads running
through Minnesota contribute to the state
treasury. I think that this year we will
pay the state $3.50, 600, about one-SiXth
of all we get for hauling the grain crop
of the state, and in hauling the grain crop
we do not work for nothing-I mean it
costs us something to haul it. Our bust
ness is made up of small things. / sup
pose you would call it a days work to
haul ton of freight ten miles if the
roads were heavy and get home at night
with your team. A difference to us of a
copper cent in hauling a ton ten miles
means a difference of SO 900, 900.
Mr.. Hill then recited the improve
ments which have been made in the con-
dition of the road, and the bearing these
improvements have on rates He showed
that the interest of the railroad and the
farmers is the same and that he as
railroad manager would not do anything
that would be against the interests of the
farmers. Mr. Hill supplemented the re-
marks of Prof. Shaw in advising the
farmers to be better farmers and to pro-
duce more from less land He thought
that the diversity of crops and the raising
of cattle would be better than to devote
so much of the land to wheat. Coming
back to the original matters, Mr.. Hill
continued
There is not one single dollar repre-
scented in the capital of the Great North
ern road that has not behind it one hun
dred cents in honest money l do not
want my name connected with any en-
terprise that is trying to get something
for nothing"
Got Even With Boat Combine.
Mr. Fill told how his efforts toward re-
ducing rates on grain had been thwarted
by the consolidation of the lake boats in
making a corresponding raise.
What did we do then?' said Mr.. Hill.
1--WE built six schooners to carry grain
from Superior to Buffalo and the other
boats have not declared a dividend since.
We didn't want to go into the elevator
business at Buffalo, but we had to in or
charging and working other eXtortions.
AS a result, the elevator charge of Buff
falo is now II cent a bushel where it was
~ cents. 1 can't work always In few
years I've got to go away. / can't take
anything with me. 1t is better that all
should work. Some don't but Col. w.
Watterson down in Louisville has told
you what sort of people they are. Now,
If anything comes up to bother you or if
you have troubles let me know. I like
to help you bear your burdens. 1 am
glad to have been here and 1 thank you
for your attention.
At the close of his address Mr. Hill held
an informal reception at the door of the
hall and shook hands with hundreds of
the farmers and their wives. He chatted
with them about stock and grain and on
dozens of subjects which We're of common
interest. He cracked jokes with them
and often broke into a hearty laugh at
some remark made by a farmer whose
hand he held. He held another small
reception in the parlor of the hotel and
then he and his party left for ST. Paul.
Libel originally meant a small book
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