The Washington herald., 1906-11-11

Special % The Washington Herald.
Chicago, Nov la-in a remarkable out
burst. not down on his original pro-
gramme. James J. Hin. speaking at the
Merchants Club dinner at the Audi
torium this evening, turned loose a good
ly part Of his long pent-up indignation
over the government restriction of rail-
road management.
Referring TO an editorial in q Chi
.cago paper to-day regarding the tremen-
.dous Increase in tonnage during the last
ten years. he said:
Greatest Question since War.
--The traffic OF this country is congest-
ed beyond Imagination The commerce
of the country is paralyzed, and. if con-
tinued. it means slow death I tell you
there is no question since the civil war
of half the consequence of this one. Why,
you can't go out and contract with any
railroad in this country to move so cars
Of freight from here 10 New York in
thirty days. And the railroad could not
deliver it if it should contract TO do It.
There is not money enough available
to bring relief TO this situation under the
conditions existing You may be able 10
see a way out, but ] can't. Are men
going to invest their money in railroads
as long as railroads are considered out
laws2 The fact Is. the railroad has not
been getting justice ia this country
Government Ownership RidicuIed.
why, In the recent campaign we be-
held the spectacle Of two great political
parties preaching the doctrine of the
operation OF the railroads by the gov
eminent The Federal government is 10
run the main lines-they're the only ones
that make any money Eowadays-and the
private investors can have the branch
lines. there being no profit in them.
rs that the way 10 get men 70 put
money into the country's railroads? Is
this the way to get more railroad mileage
80 that the coUnrys freight can be-
moved2 IT is time to call a halt in this
treatment Of the railroad
why, ! challenge YOU 10 point out a
road that has not failed at some point
IN its career. Most Of them have been
! organized, and have had their capital
wiped out. and have gone into the hands
Of receivers its been a fad, and costly
fad. to build railroads
Here Mr. Hill abruptly stopped and
I looked around with a modest smile
I hope YOU viii pardon me for this
diversion. ne said. II merely wanted
to make these remarks as a kind of en-
coUragment 10 the discussion Of the prob
/ lem
Country 10 Grow Rapidly.
Continuing his address. He said: Chi
cago in 1850 will serve tributary TO it as
large a population as the present popu-
lation Of the United States-S8o00oJ0 per-
sons He demanded a Chic7go-New Or
/ leans waterway as a commercial neces-
/ sity. and contended that Chicago would
be benefited pre-eminently and foremost
/ by Canadian reciprocity.
"Rail and water lines. 10 be in harmony
/ with modern transportation, must nj into
/ each other" he said. But the railroads
/ traversing this fertile territory are halt
/ ed at the lake barrier. They must find
/ their way around.
The lower extremity of the lake must.
/ by geographical and commercial necessity
/ become the site Of the great central city
/ Mr.. Hill continued.
We are digging q canal across the
/ lsthmus Of Panama al "a cost of no one
knows how many millions. This will as
/ sist not our trade with the thriving east
eTn divisions Of South America. but with
the little fringe between the Andes and
| the Pacific Ocean.
Vast Commerce with Canada.
Our commerce with Canada is over
S200.00o00 annually. Let US trade with
South America II We can. but let's keep
our mental balance. North of us lies
| country of enormous possibilities. inhab-
tied by five or six million people
we come nov TO the question why
that country and cur own should not be
commercially one. The Dominion will. I'm
any event. be opened up and highly de-
veloped- Already demand and supply
have forced a relaxation Of tariff rival
ries which permit the wheat Of Canada
70 be brought into the United States.
milled In bond and the flour exported
without payment Cf duty.
Can any practical mind fail TO grasp
the possibilities waiting upon harmonious
action upon both sides Of this boundary
! line which worries aud taxes commerce
now. but which viii not forever defeat
or impede il? The time is oppCrtune for
I a movement toward better trade relations
with Canada. and we should all work 10