The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1909-09-16
HILL SEES
ONLY PROSPERITY
1t Will Take a Man to Be Harri-
mans Work, the Great North
ern Head Says.

VII AANeA9 N<sy -
New York, Sept.-James j. Hill,
calm and imperturbable as Trappist
monk, sat at his desk at the head
quarters of the Great Northern Rail-
way, porting over maps and papers,
while the bulls and bears were in a
fierce struggle in Wall Street over
what they had made disputed point
as to the effect the death Of E. H.
Hartman would have upon stock
values. '.'
Apparently the empire builder Of
the Northwest was wholly unconcern-
ed over what was going on among
the spectators.
ut is Wall Streets business" said
he, ITO create disturbances of this
kind"
There was a tinge Of contempt in
his manner and tone when he said
this.
mo man or group of men can seri-
ously affect the prosperity or stability
Of this country" Mr.. Hill added after
a retrospective pause. 'ln saying
this |. do not mean to belittle or in
any way derogate the claim of Harri-
man to high place among the men
who have done big things in his day.
His activities were broad and his
achievements notable. To emphasize
my meaning | will put the case in an
other way. If | should die this Sec
ond the Great Northern Railroad
trains would run with the same regu.
larity with which they are now run
ming. The people along its lines
would continue at their gainful occu
pations, the farms would go on pro
ducing, the mines would continue
giving up their wealth, the forests
contributing their accustomed share
to the wealth of the land, the MILL
would not stop. In word, my dealt
would by no manner of means affec
one way or the other the stability o
progress of the country or even
small part of it.
"And so | will not be misunder
stood when | repeat that Mr.. Harri
mans death, regrettable as person
al bereavement to thousands, cannC
check or accelerate the bushes
progress of the country. Railroa
earnings are good and the signs ind
cate that they will continue to grow
Mr.. Harriman's death cannot distur
the balance of the railroad situatio
to any appreciable extent any NOR
than would my death or that of an
] other man you might mention. Tn
business organization of this countr
is now too efficient for its machiner
to be deranged or clogged by such a
untoward occurrence as that of tn
death of anybody"
"Do you know who will succee
Mr.. Hartmann" was asked.
81 have no idea who will take h
place or title," was Mr.. Hills repl!
"nor am | concerned about tina
Whoever does will have mans jo
and whoever does will do the wor
well. The organization, the machil
cry, are ready at hand for some skill
ed man. All he will have to do is
do the work before him. The detail
will take care of themselves.
II remember remark once mac
to me by Dan Manning after he h;
been Secretary of the Treasury
considerable time. The winning CT
of the campaign which put Mr.. Clev
: land in the presidency was; Tu
: the rascals QUIT After Manning hi
r been at the head of the Treasury
sufficiently long time to get his bea
ings friend of mine called on hi
with me at Washington. My friel
reminded Manning of the campais
slogan and asked him if he we
obeying its injunctions. Manning
reply was that when he first took {
flee he thought he would make Gle
sweep as the decencies of politics a
the needs Of government servi
would permit, but that he had be
there long enough to realize that t
Treasury was so well organized Il
he could not interfere much with
operations, that it just simply ran
self. What Manning found to be I
situation in the Treasury is the sitl
ton in the business of the countl
It will just run of its own momentr