Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-01
Why Railroad Man Fears Our Nation
al ExtraVaqance.

Why Railroad Man Fears Our Nation
al Extravaganza
James j. Hill, the pioneer of the
northwest and one of the most con-
spieuous railroad men of the world.
believes that the United States must
recede from Its extravaganza. the Luz
cullian way of living. and get back to
the old way of hog. hominy and milk
or else go to destruction.
Not only America, but Europe" he
said recently to an interviewer at his
office in New York, lis afflicted with
the germ of recklessness. Our ma
tional legislature sets the pace.
I'VE are spending millions on top of
millions for the army, for the navy,
when we need neither. For congress
to appropriate the several hundred
millions annually. as 1t does, for the
guns of the ships is encoura cement for
the individual to talk about warfare
when there isn't any war cloud appar-
ent anywhere.
Commercial War Needed.
VI ant SdiO, LEI us nave peace.
But, as Napoleon desired for his time
and his reign, this country seems to
wish war. And why and for what:
What reason have we to combat, ex-
cept commercially, any foreign power?
And yet, speaking soberly. l will say
that we must do something quickly
toward regaining our trade with other
countries
Germany England and France are
advancing and pre-empting territory
that naturally belongs TO us. We car
recover that trade only by encourag-
ing shipping industries. by more mark
ed methods of inviting trade, by sys-
TENS of reciprocity by competition
the latter, after all, being the real key
note of commerce.
Were l in control of the finances of
this government should spend more
for the development of the farm and
less for the dneness of firearms.
; should have agricultural stations sit
uated in all parts of the nation where
one might come TO be taught how to
grow two blades of grass where but
one grew before.
Have Too Few Producers.
think of the congestion in the cities.
How long can this nation survive IN
der present conditions: We have few
producers. multitude of consumers.
l have forgotten the figures. but some
where / have read that 20 per cent OF
the people live in city houses. steam
heated fats, in homes unsuited for
health, unequipped for the sturdiness
necessary for the development Of our
manhood. | should like to see the gov
eminent spend millions in the encour
agement OF men and women going tic
the country. there TO live as God ill.,
tended they should live--to raise chill
dren. produce grain. meat and milk.
5 I'VE must get out of the notion thai
we are living for the present. 1t IS q
bad system Of society that prompts the
we'll being of today caring nothing fol
tomorrow, for those who come after
People Should Go to Farms.
millions upon millions of acres liz
undisturbed in the west, in the soutl
and even in the east. You have pow
erty stricken people in your great cit
les, children who are denied the priv
leges of education, mothers who must
go through life with tear stained eyes
husbands and fathers with burden
: they can i'll afford to carry. And why
Because of their nonproductiveness.
This country as a government ulti
Z mately must go backward unless "
: induce the people to go to the farms
y out in the country where health ma.
be obtained, where q man may max
!. living, where the boys and girls ma
go hopfooting it over hill and valley
Z gaining strength with every step.
THE desire seems to be for tn
young to get to the city. That desir
: must be circumvented, dissipated b
20 some sort of method We must max
Is the country life as attractive to tn
= young as the city is. We must teac
q them that where the city affords do
n lar the rural communities will contrib
: ute So And that Is true unless one
70 a genius.
% You ask about the prosperity of th
= nation 1t was never better. Cror
nave been good, mortgages have bee
81 wiped away by the millions, new field
have been opened new cities built, ne
railroads constructed, others plannet
to Peace reigns. can see no black spt
r anywhere. There will be no centr;
sh bank. The country will not stand Il
h it.
IN, LET congress and the various sta,
IN legislatures take more catholic vie
of the railroad situation. Let them r
-. ~ member that the railroad investor hi
~ =. his money at stake, that he has CO.
~ tributed something toward the deve
10 9pment Of the country, that he is ne
". Their thief nor a robber, as son
would have bis countrymen believ
a. and then we will have a more HON
yeneous nation, less trouble, more flol
md bacon sides in our pantries, few
.Iicides. greater bank accounts in Of
,avings institutions better morals
1--WE must learn to be less extrav
CANT. We must be taught to unde
stand that at the rate our people a
living destruction to the whole NOR
fabric Of the nation is Inevitable"