The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-19

James J. Hill, commonly reputed to
be one of the most autocratic million
aire railroad operators of the country,
has finally come to realization that
public opinion is great factor in keep
ing large affairs moving in the right
direction. The quotation which leads
this article is taken from a long inter-
view telegraphed from Lenox, Mass,
by correspondent for Chicago paper,
who interviewed the Northern Securi-
ties magnate at his son g summer home
there 81.
Mr.. Hill introduced his interview by
saying: ~ see no dangerous shoals
ahead in the business and financial sit
uation here, nor do I look for any sort
of business boom. The country ought
to be thankful if business moves along
in it's present volume. What is needed
the country over is a great awakening,
sort Of revival in its business meth,
DDS in domestic and foreign trade, and
different and higher commercial stand
ard or moral tone. This great awaken
ing will have. to come before we are a
world power.
F. Making Poor Job of IT,
"There is much to say on the general
condition nc Of business" he continued.
"There are many favorable elements
in the prospect and still more unfa-
vorable features to be reckoned with in
| the general estimate. We are in a pc
ROD of demagogry which reads pull
and pull in turn promotes graft. There
are, too, quack political theories which
clash with sound business. We are
nation of S0,0OO,0OO people or more,
working and developing rich natural
we are making poor Job of it from
trade and business point of view. The
country is richer far than England or
Germany, and yet the fruits of trading
are exceedingly small compared with
what they ought to be. It is all very
we'll to be content to swap jackknives
with one another, but what is that but
taxing money out OF sone pocket and
putting it in another9 Individual effort
is restrained by political theorists and
demagog leaders @s@
"We are dillydallying with South
American trade and are trying to
build the Panama canal. What good
will come of itq We have not the
ships and freight rates to the far east
are against it. We have not the pro-
tecting laws for a merchant marine.
|, myself, have recognized that condi-
tion and shall certainly never again
build ship under the American flag.
Ships can be built cheaper abroad and
operated more successfully from a COM
mercial point Of view under foreign
flag. 49,.
~ Public Opinion Furnishes.
II vii! not pass judgment on Equit:
able AFFAIRS continued Mr.. Hill. 'I
will say this, however, that the insur.
ance business will shrink and shrink
to nothing unless there is complete
change. In other words, an awaken
ing in the methods Of doing the insur.
ance business.'
"Have you any remedy, any pana
cea to suggest9 Would federal super
vision do, for example7' was asked.
"Federal supervision! replied Mr.
Hill in cdisdain. "Can the blind lea6
the blind9 Gould any good come out
nished by the scores Of POLITICAL i as dem ua
gogese Only recently we have see1
| two scandals which reached the cab
| met Of the nation and there were laws
! to punish. Have there been any~pun
ishments9 No, the affairs have beer
smothered, but, thank God, there il
public opinion. That is the great cor
rective and a punitive agent in this
republic. Public opinion, it would
seem, Furnishes in this country and not
the law, for there is too much pull
Crops and Profits.
"Last year the south raised bump
er crop Of cotton-some, say 13,000,00(
bales and others more. The year befor,
was a crop failure, when less than 10,
100000 bales were raised in the cotto1
belt. Yet the crop gathered in the fail
ure year netted the southern plante
1880 100000 more than the record break
ing crop of 1904. Why is that's Simpl
because we had not developed our owl
markets.. Asia, with it's millions of PEG
tples ready to take our goods particu
larly the cotton goods, is stunned an
tabooed to such an extent that it is CO
operating against and boycotting Amer
lean wares.
"Our crops are none too good thi
year. continued Mr.. Hill. GIVE wi
not raise any bumper crop Of wheat.
think that if the west raises more tha
J 600,000,000 bushels it will be doing wei
\ What. does Jones says I can rely O
r him. -
. Mr.. Hill was told that Mr. Jones ha
- estimated the wheat crop would be les
8 than 65O,OOO,OOO bushels
n 81 don't think it will be as much a
d that,' Said Mr.. Hill. "HoWever,
we gather 600,0O0,O00 bushels of whea
and 100000 bale crop Of cotton W
|DARkTOWN r.