Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-03-17
JIM HILL TELLS CONSERVATION.
lists WHAT AiLs THIS
COUNTRY.
ExTRAvAGANcE PREVAILS
FROM CITIES TO CONGRESS
Intoxicated by Prosperity, He Says
Conservation of Wealth is Now tho
Greatest Parliamentary Causes for
High Prices, Greatest Of Which is
Wage Increase.

st. Paul. Mimi, March 17.-An ad-
dress by James j. Hill, chairman of
the board of directors Of the Great
Northern railway, on CONSERVATION of
Capital" was the feature of the early
session Of the state conservation con-
gress today. The general subject of
the session was agricultural develop
ment in Minnesota. Other speakers
were Professor Robinson of the Uni
versity of Minnesota, on "The Farm
Wealth iof Minnesota" Professor
Chamberlain, superintendent Of the
farmers institute of South Dakota, on
Agricultural Science and Com
petitive Business
James j. Hill in his address at the
urged the conservation OF capital, con-
Of the increase in prices, and told how
the situation described by him might
be remedied.
speech of Mr.. Hill, who declared that
financial delirium; that "neNt after
use and fertility. must come the con-
servation Of national capital in the
shape of cash and credit.
An Age of Extravasance.
Mr.. Hill said in part: 1.-THE immense
increase Of wealth all over the world
has greatly augmented the supply of
capital. The mobility Of this capital,
the ease by which thru international
exchanges it can be made to satisfy
need now in one country and now
in another, strengthens the impression
that it is inexhaustible. The addition
of uncounted billions to the aggregate
wealth of the world has stimulated the
spirit of mankind. Its availability has
lulled to sleep natural prudence and
quieted the alarm OF moments Of sam
ity in the spendthrift's life. The In
crease of apparent resources by an
easy resort to borrowing, the mortgag-
ing Of a patrimony not our own to
obtain material for present extrava-
gance, the diversion Of wealth from
productive to unproductive uses - all
these have gone further than most
people realize.
National Debt GROWS.
"The people of the United States
inherited from It's founders a whole
some tradition against debt, which is
only now disappearing from the con-
duct Of national affairs"
Mr.. Fill said the national debt now
tends to rise, concealed under the pol
lite fiction of certificates of indebted
ness to cover treasury deficits. ST. he
continued, "the advocates of large bond
issues for all manner of internal i'm
provements should carry their point,
if that resource is not definitely re-
stricted to the emergency of war, we
will be in the condition OF Europe,
where the motto of every chancellory
now seems to be-, After US, the
deluge.'"-
Cities Lead in Waste.
"In our cities, modern extrava gance
finds it's most untrammeled expression.
The total debt Of the states, including
all minor civil divisions increased
s13921.443, or 125 per cent between
1880 and 1890. Between 1890 and 1902
it increased S727,77Sy393, or GA per cent.
Nearly three quarters Of a billiop In
twelve years, an average of $50, ,0C6, 900,
a. year in the amount borrowed by the
people. ought to make any country stop
and think. Most of the actual mater
ial development is privately financed
and carries it's own bonded indebted
ness. which the public finances can not
take into account. The figures down
to 1910. outside of and in addition to
the national debt would probably show
an increase of billion and a quarter
to a billion and half dollars for the
last twenty years, and a grand total of
over two and quarter billion dollars;
about double what it was in 1890.
"Debt figures. however, do not begin
to tell the story of our national ex-
trayagance. Only a small part Of our
expenditures is represented by debt
tables. The rest is raised by increased
taxation. / know of nothing bearing
more directly or forclbly upon the sub
ject Of national waste and the conser-
yation Of national resources than the
profligacy disclosed.
Some Startling Figures.
"The following little table. exhibit
ing the whole situation. might be
printed at the top OF every letterhead
used by any man In public office any
where in the United States:
Wealth, 1890 to 1904, 65 per cent.
Trade, 1890 to 1908, s5.4 per cent.
Value manufactured products, 1890 tc
1905. SO per cent.
Expenditures U. S. government, 1890
to 1908. 1914 per cent.
Net ordinary, expenditures U. s. gov
ernment. 1890 to 1908 121.4 per cent.
Big Crop Of Public Ills.
''The phenomenal increase OF public
expenditure has already produced a
plentiful crop of public ills. 1t IS one
Of the causes Of the increase in prices
now. disturbing the people. This IN
crease follows in a suggestive way the
imitation Of national and local budgets
The average cost OF the supplies. thai
must be bought for practically, every
household has increased about 80 pei
cent between 1856 ami I>;:::-.:: {
the past year, there has been marked
l.fting Of the pedce levi. E'eodStut4I