Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-09-22
II. r. DENTON, Editor.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER u. 1910.
jim HILLS GOOD ADVICE
Says That Many Business and
Capitalists Show Timidity in
Graphing With the Prob
lens of the Present Day


see why the business men of the coun-
try should at present fear to engage in
new enterprises, nor can he see any
reason whatever for the paralysis
which is gradually creeping over the
United States.
''It's only senseless lack of confid-
ence," said Mr.. Hill, in an interview
just given out.
"And why this lack of confidence?
Some man, somewhere, has grown
timid over something or other, and has
cried boo at his neighbor His neigh
Dor probably jumped and the next fell
low took fright without knowing why
he was frightened. And so on.
'It's just like flock of sheep. Ifone
starts to run, every sheep in the flock
will follow, even if they die for it.
During the big national conservation
congress we have talked about conserv-
ing water and conserving land; conserv-
ing coal and conserving iron. It's too
bad somebody didn't say word about
conserving common sense.
That's what this country needs
right now-to conserve common sense.
There's an article by Col. George Har-
vey in the September North American
Review dealing with the conservation
of common sense that well illustrates
the business condition of this country
right now and gives as the panacea for
the business paralysis, the suggestion
that our business men use little COM
mon sense-just ordinary sound com
mon sense. | wish business men every
where would take that advice.
II can see no reason for the fears
which seem to possess our business
men. | have preached return to the
farm policy for years and expect to
continue to do so; but that's no reason
for fear on the part of business.
'Money and business, are, of course,
very careful and it is right that they
should be, but not to the extent of cut
ting off their noses to spite their faces.
Especially when it is so unnecessary
and they need the noses, too.
Here is little excerpt which, to my
mind, bears down hard and strikes at
the core of our present ills:
In the disestablshment of credit
we find the most obvious cause of the
prevailing depression. The link that
connects labor with capital is not brok-
en-, but we may not deny that it is less
cohesive than it shonld be or than con-
ditions warrant. Financially, the
country is stronger than ever before
in its history. Recovery from a panic
so severe as that of three years ago
was never before so prompt and COM
paratively complete. The masses are
practically free from debt. Money is
held by the banks in abundance and
rates are low.
"'Why then does capital pause upon
the threshold of investment? The
answer we believe to be plain. 1t awaits
adjustment of the relations of govern
ment to business. Such, at any rate,
is the plea, and pressure is constantly
brought to bear upon executives and
courts to make haste-haste, which, in
our judgment, would result in less
speed. Great complications growing
out of nightly changed conditions call
| e., he t.
settle grave question offhand is only
to invite disaster. Better not settle it
at all until reasonable certainty can
be felt that it can be settled right. Sta
bility is ever capitals primary require
ment But the adjustment which it
now demands cannot be effected in
month or a year, and never can or
should be complete. Elasticity is the
prime requisite of changes essential to
development.
But capital is VIGOROUSLY timid. In
the present instance, too, it is abso-
lutely foolish. No decision of any court
can permanently impair any so-called
vested interest. Confisication is
undreamed of, as compared with only
few years ago. The disintergation of
properties does not involve their des-
truction. Moreover, the sharp revolt
, against all combinations-those that
achieve great good no less than those
that work injury-is clearly yielding to
study and reason. No sane person now
maintains that business-especially
manufacturing can or should be done
as it was done half a century ago. In
broad sense, the day of the individual
competitor is past, but the opportunity
of the individual remains even wider
within the corporation. The sole prob
lem consists of determining how gov
eminent can maintain an even balance