The Sisseton weekly standard. (Sisseton, Roberts County, S.D.) 1892-1929, 1905-09-29
j. ]. HILLS NOTABLE ADDRESS,
He Discusses Agriculture, National and World
Affairs at County Fair


ord was not what it should be? And have
you never given your representatives. in
state or nation. to understand that they
would win your approval and a continu-
ance of the honors they covet by getting
the most numerous and the largest appro-
priations for unnecessary undertakings in
your city or town or district? If you
nave, then remember that reforlG must
pesln at the fountain head. the people.
ana as state or a city or a nation has
no revenue. has no money except that
which is taken out of the pockets of in
dlNlduals through taxation, if YOU have
Wlnked at or tacitly rewarded this prac-
llce, then YOU have encouraged and pro-
NOTED graft. No man and no nation ever
was or ever viii be rich enough TO with
pecu!ation; and no national or individual
oharacter can be pure enough to remain
uhSulned by liberation of a low stand
ard of honesty.
which it becomes you to test these gem
tlemen who serve you and to ask every
p whn1 an, for his eredentias Let us see
your unaided efforts, by unremtting toll
and saving. and the brave venture to
wrest a living. from nature, have accu.
lnulated certain resources of Which all
these varied forms of wealth that we
see about us to-day are typical. To what
the various measures that will be quoted:
as they have been quoted, in evidence of
the care that has been taken of your
Two Main Needs.
Your main needs are two an adequate
market in which your products may be
sold at a fair price, and an opportunity
TO purchase those things that you need
extent have these been furnished to you.
and in what condition do you stand with
reference to them?
AS lar as your grain IS concerned, you
must sell in the markets of the world.
There is no escape from that. The wheat
OF Southern Minnesota and the wheat of
~ ON flno of ha
earth will bring to the farmer the price
that is fixed in the worlds markets. The
great consuming nations, with Great Brit
ain at their head. must have bread. They
purchase 1t where they can, seeking all
who have wheat and flour to sell. And by
the competition of an these sellers, India
tr2lia we'll as the United States, the
price is settled. Have you been helped
there? OF a truth it is impossible to help
you in any way but one. to which we will
| come presently The average politician,
who does not give you credit for the in
yon 1 baV ySa will se
protected as he will call it, by placing
a tariff on wheat and other, products of
know, that a tariff on imports of an article
which you do not wish to import, but
which. you have for sale in vast quanti-
ties. is as useless as a steam heating
plant in August In the year ended June
30, 1904, there We're imported into the
United States just 6,s52 bushels of wheat
tect this? This last year there were inn
ported 3,1O2.5S5 bushels. Either figure is
totally INSIGNIFICANT in country. whose
s'0.OOo.OO0 bushels. But the fluctuation
itself shows, since the tariff remained UNI
altered, that the latter has nothing what
and your dairy products and your live
stock are beyond the reach of all such
assistance, The market in which your
fected by them at all. And consequent
ly. whatever you may think or may say
to the gentlemen who tell you that a
tariff has been enacted for your benefit,
you may reply with great confidence that
as far as sales of your products are
concerned 1T profits you no more than
moon.
There is one way, however in which
he BE and that is BY
get for the yield of your farms is the
price where the consumer lives. less the
him That cost s YOU have VET to bear o, so ANY,
thing that diminishes it is money in your
pocket; and when any one advises you
ing the cost of transportation he is tell
ing you the truth. But how is this to be
brought about?
lanation that such a service shall be
performed at such and such a charge.
The business of transportation is like ali
other other business in this: it must be con-
Quoted on business basis. The cost Of
it can be lessened only by economies
growing out of increased volume. So he
does most for you in this respect who
opens new markets. secure. new customs
ers and helps to swell the volume of prod
n h and q H. This Is the
carriage has been effected, and the change
Is greater. than has occurred in the price
af ALMOST snS other foH The
states ea in 1870 e IL in on 1850
in Great Britain it is s2,s5 and nd on the
continent of Europe from s2.1O to 81 10.
The Great Northern railroad has been
the company and Of the state railway Hy
commission show that. il its freight tar
lifts had not been altered in that time, if
It had charged throughout until to-day
the rates that We're then in force, It
0 Wou naa have received more than s67s.-
100000 more than it has received during
s27 100000, and this reduction on one
p4a bsn and H., am v;ts proud Of that
ure OF what has taken place as rapidly
as the growth of the business permitted
amd m mace xo ha A md need not ten
| in touch with the events of the day that
| this work Is still going on. and that the
| crops raised this year in the Northwest
/ will be sent to market on. the lowest
| freight rate ever made in tho whole his
| tory OF the Northwest.
RailroHd Rates.
How has this been accomplished? By
| seeking to build up the country, by study
| ing how to develop its resources and its
| prosperity, by inducing settlers to come
| and till the vacant land and by taking
| care of those already here. BY careful
| business management and by recognizing
| the essential partnership between the maj
| on the soil and the railway which serves
| him. And l want to ask you as Won
| study these figures to say whether these
| results. SO beneficial to yourselves could
| ever have been reached through a policy
/ of antaEonism and force. Some of the
politicians will tell You that railroad rates
must be fixed by order of the government.
and that this Is the reason why they
must be kept In public life. 1t is an easy
| prophecy, because 1t Is an obvious fact
| that railroad rates in this country would
| decline more slowly under government
| control than If fixed by those who have
| intelligently managed the railways No
| public body would dare to make reduc-
| tons so sweeping as those that have been
| made voluntarily by the railways. Unless
the people ON its lines are prosperous the
| railway must be poor. They suffer to-
| gether or prosper together and this con-
| dition will always remain. Those who
make the rates with full knowledge Of all
| the facts entering into them will make
| them as low as possible because that
| means more people, more acres under cul.
| tivation. more business for the railroad
| company to carry. more earnings and
more profits. 1t is the right and the duty
1 of the government to secure fair treat