New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-10-07
M USTCHANGE, HILL
Railroad Man Sees Danger an Reck-
less Detachment.

Chicago. Oct s-James J. Hill was the principal
speaker tonight at dinner given at the Audtori-
uul Hotel by the Chicago Commercial Association
His theme was The Development OF the North
ton. presided. and Sir Thomas Upton was one OF
the chief guests
Mr.. Hin said. IN part:
These. briefly. are the csrtainties OF the next
fifty years. supported by facts ascertained beyond
our population will be more than aoOOO,OoO Where
are these people 70 find profitable oceupation bow how
question is already pressing upon great cities Ike
these newcomers cannot be excluded Labor
never as scarce, wages were never as high as al
check the natural increase. We must determine.
the present when our popuation is a5proacng
three times what IL was in 1902 Striking as mas
been found the contrast between 1880 and 1900 thet
between the present and 1850 viii reveal more ssri-
Practically speaking. our public lehds are all oe-
cupied. The Irrigation OF land By the general gov
VIII furnish land for less than ffteen hundred thou
sand small farms OF forty acres each, or for a
Our other natural resources have been exploited
with lavish hand Our exports OF which We love
our Iron end coal supplies VIII begin to show signs
former. at the present rate Of increasing produc-
tI2n' VIII De greatly reduced Our forests are rap
the ends OF the earth. We cannot continue 10 sup
by the methods Of trade that now obtain. because
the minerals stored in the ground do not re-create
forever
shall with these coming millions TO provide for, be
thrown back upon the soil. the only resource OF
mankind that Is capable Of Infinite renewal. Upon
the cultivation Of the soil depends the future OF man
KIND and the nature and stability OF Its tnst1tu-
tons.
In some things we are going backward. The soil
Of the country IS being Impoverished by careless
treatment Forests are cut down that the sun may
bake IL. and the foods scour IL into the ocean It
has been cropped with the same grain year after
year, until its productive power has deteriorated
farm values in large number of II Is easily
denonstra bic that reform OF methods OF cUltiva-
add from 90 to TO tRe Gato an
wealth, while the resort 20 small farms and the
adoption Of the intensive cultivation would give
The costliest error will be In a clingng 70 the
deusion that we are 70 continue 10 increase our
exports and 20 live upon the profits OF the foreign
our wheat crop for home consumption and seed;
when our mines will not yield except at increased
cost. t5e IRON ana coal required TO manufacture
cheap labor OF the Orient, whose wages we cannot
nope 20 meet, equipped with our machinery, will
FaEqulsh all competitors. To return 10 agri-
must come without delay, IL we 10 escape dis
aster.
ton. Already the growth OF commerce between
the Mississippi River and the Atlantic Coast finds
itself delayed and hampered for of additional
lines and terminal facilities. And throughout the
more engines. more cars. But money invested In
railways expects fair return, and Il also expects
the same measure OF protection that is accorded
other property.
The enormous pressure Of masses OF people seem
70 crush out the hope and energy and prosperity
d largs PROPORTION OF them and the great problem
the tendency-how to prevent the forces OF advsno-
Ing social evolution from being destructive as well
as creative This IS the problem OF the nation and
It is, in special sense the problem OF the North
west.