The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1908-04-17
ID. HILL ON Johnson
DON'T TELL WHAT HE THINKS
OF MINNESOTA GOVERNOR.
HE EvApEs ALL QUESTIONING


In Minnesota" Says Mr.. hill-he
Has Been Successful In His Admin
istratlons as Governor.
New York. April Thames j. Hill,
president OF the Great Northern Rail.
road company in an interview given
To the World told what he thought OF
Governor John Johnson Of Minnesota
as presidential timber. Concretely ex-
pressed his opinion OF the governor
was
governor Johnson is great man
in Minnesota"
Stories that the Great Northern's
president and the powerful interests
of which he Is chief are behind John
son, despite the way he has made them
lump hurdles in Minnesota have been
most insistent. In a recent magazine
article II was written:
1T would be pleasant to announce
that James ]. Hill and all the north
western railroad interests are bitterly
opposed to Mr.. Johnson. In truth they
are not and 1t is impossible to think
OF a more curious and instructive
fact. SO far has the warfare gone
against corporate interests that they
would rather take man OF Johnson
record of anti-corporation legislation
than another man that might DO
worse"
What do you think Of that?" Mr..
Hill was asked,
There is nothing in that; nothing
at ALL" snapped Mr.. Hill. 81 know
Johnson only as governor OF Mime
sofa. He has been most SUCCESSFUL,
should sav. His administrations have
been popular He has made some
good appointments in the judiciary;
appointed some good sheriffs and
other officers"
you speak OF him distantly, Mr.
Hill. Current publications would lead
one to imagine you were on the most
intimate terms of friendship with
Governor Johnson"
"There is nothing in these stories.
| don't suppose have met Governor
johnson more than once or twice
place like that" said Mr.. Hill. He
is a good respectable man. who has
the respect of the people of Minnesota.
His rise has been rapid-from poor
boy to a newspaper man and then state
senator and on up to where he is
now"
"Mr. Hill, don't you think such rad
ical measures as the Minnesota and
North Carolina rate bills simply re-
suit in putting state control of public
corporations back about fifty years?"
state CONTROL" snorted Mr.. Hill.
do you know that the railroads OF
this country have done more for 1T
than the railroads Of any other coun-
try under the sun; that they have
done more for the people than any
railroads on the face of the earth?'
That's all right, but the state con-
troll that was meant is the kind that
would let the railroads make decent
returns on their investments but would
see to it that they gave honest SER
vice to the public"
"Umph! Bureaus! This country is
becoming more and more like Russia
every day It's almost there now
Soon We'll have a government abso-
lutely by bureau"
Now let us talk about Johnson
again, Mr.. Hill. What do you think
of him? Is he another Cleveland?'
Mr.. Hills rugged face softened and
he looked out of a window seemingly
into a great distance.
mo; there Is but one Cleveland.
He was great president. He is
great man. But few know what a
great, rugged, simple man he is. /
was fishing with him once for two
weeks and | shall never forget that
time When we would return to the
camp for the night he would be sing
ing hymns in that great big voice of
his that sounded like lions roar"
"Well, Mr.. Hill, we're back to John
son again. Do you think that men like
johnson and Roosevelt put us back
by forcing laws on the books that
most lawyers know will never be sus'
tanned by the courts?"
Were in the courts now," said Mr..
Hill, half smiling. Il have never made
1t a practice to try my railroad cases
in the newspapers and l should not
care to say anything now"