The Butte inter mountain., 1902-06-05
PRESIDENT JAMES j. HILL MAKES A
SPEECH IN CHICAGO FAvORlNG
NEED OF lRRIGATlON
TELLS OF IMPORTANCE
OF GREAT RAILROADS
Shows the Increase OF Trade With Japan
and Other Oriental Countries for the
Last Decade-Believes That With
Manila as an American Port This
Nation Can Control Trade Of the East.
TnY AssoclAII.p pprss I

Chicago, June 5.-James J. Hill, prcsi-
dent OF the Great Northern railway,
speaking last night on commercial expan-
sion ai banquet oi the Illinois Manuiac-
turefs association, said:
To-day We have about reached the linz
it OF our public domain which can be
made to furnish homes for an intelligent
and cnterprising population. In many Of
the Western states are enormous areas Of
the best land, which with irrigation can be
made productive in the highest degree.
president Roosevelt, who has spent "A
great deal OF his time i'll the scini-arid
regions OF the west has taken an active
interest in this subject. and il his efforts
and those OF others who are working for
the same end result in success future
generations will rejoice ia the memory of
this work, while they build for them
selves comfortable homes in the thousand
valleys covering that portion of the coun-
try which is now given up to grazing
ranches Tor cattle and sheep.
Considering the question from a ma
tional standpoint, the next interest in inn
portance to agriculture Is the railroad in
terest OF the country.
II think ! am safe in saying that next
to the Christian religion and the common
schools. no other single work enters into
the welfare and happiness OF the people
OF the whole country to the same extent
as the railway; no other work could have
made il possible to occupy the enormous
stretches through the interior OF our coun-
try and people them with cities, towns and
villages.
While railways have to answer for many
m al ls,g nI pf int ont he
whole the result has been to create the
most effective, useful and by far the
cheapest system OF transportation in the
world.
Much has been said about the increase
OF traffic in the far east. Twenty years
ago the foreign trade OF Japan amounted
to about $4,000. OF which the United
States share is less than one-ffth Ten
years ago we exported about $1,000 an
nually to Japan and imported from her
about $26,ooo,ooo. Now our exports to
Japan amount 10 $4,000, 900, or six times
rs much they were 10 years ago and
the increase in our imports has been very
small.
Trade With China.
In 800 the entire Foreign trade with
China amounted 10 about 90 cents per
capita. Should the Chinese trade increase
to S. or s. per capita il would amount to
more than the entire exports OF the United
States. and surely this trade is worth
striving for.
With Manila AS an American port in
the east. and the best ships that can be
built. we should be able to maintain our
selves as a nation in n control OF large
share in this traffic.
We have all the benefits of a protective
tariff, and whatever good il can do in
the way of building up infant industries
has already been accepted The growth of
our enormous iron and steel industries.
which are pointed out and the result OF our
protective tariff can be more surely traced
to our enormous resources in the iron
mines OF Michigan, Wisconsin and Min
nesota than to all other sources.