Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-16
"BROKES" WARNS HILL
High Prices, National Decline,
Says Great Financier.
HE SEES THE PRESIDENT
And Then Chats for q While With
Senator Bourne.
CABINET HAS LONG SESSION
Representative Morehead Of North
Carolina Hot Under the Collar
and Threatens to Resign.
CABINET HAS LONG SESSION

History shows that the high cost of
living IL the beginning Of every national
decline"
James ]. Hill. the great railroad leader
OF the country, made this statement at
the White House today. He had been
talking with President Taft during the
morning, before the cabinet met, and his
thoughts as he departed dwelt not on
legislation, but on the economic conditions
Of the country.
Mr.. Hill did not wish to go into an
amplification Of his views or furnish a
panacea for the i'll that he sees in threat
ening the country. Generally speaking,
however, he thought that economy-the
cutting down Of useless expenditures-in-
dividual and governmental. would go far
Their than anything else toward aiding in
improvement Of conditions.
Danger in Constant Increase.
Mr.. Hill is serious in his view OF the
danger threatening the country In the
constant increase In the cost OF living. He
has studied history and he finds. as he
stated, that national decline begins when
the cost Of living becomes burden to
the masses. while the immensely rich
are in no wise affected.
Mr.. Hill believes that the great minds
of the country should turn their atten-
ton to this question rather than to the
laws can add to. the solution of the
problem. The great statesmen Of the
country spend hours days and months,
as he sees Ii. trying to devise laws for
better and more honest living, for re-
form, and yet neglect the one problem
that directly, tremendously. touches the
millions whose welfare constitutes the
very existence Of the nation.
Prosperity Not the Cure.
AS Mr.. Hill sees it. there must be
deep and serious consideration, and
without unnecessary delay. of the
questions dealing with the cost Of
the food and dress OF the people Of
the country. Prosperity is not the
cure- he admits, although 1t Is a help.
1T Is better" he said. that men
should be working at s2 a day while
meat to go along with their vegetables
rather than be without work, and hav-
ing to make purchases at practically
the same prices"
Mr.. Hill was asked about the much
talked about water power trust Of the
west. II do not know OF any such trust, -
said Mr.. Hill. 1T will be necessary to
do like Benjamin Franklin and 60 up into
the clouds to find about the water trust %
Yet, Mr.. Hill believes in conservation of
national resources. What we need above
anything else. however, is economy in all
directions"
Talks With Senator Bourne.
Before Mr.. Hill left the White House
he sat in the congressional waiting room
for thirty minutes talking with Senator
Jonathan Bourne Of Oregon. Mr.. Bourne
is the chairman of a subcommittee of a
committee on public expenditure appoint
ed by the Senate to go into long inves-
tigation of the whole question Of expen-
diture. Senator Hale 10 acting chairman
Of this committee. Senator Bourne has
been working all summer on the ques-
ton. and will have q report ready to sub.