Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-28
HILLS GLOOMY VIEW
Predicts Hard Times Due to
Popular Extravaganza.
DOESN'T LOOK FOR A PANIC
Expects a Decrease in Business
Activities.
DOESN'T LOOK FOR A PANIC
THOUSANDS WITHOUT WORK
improvements and Extensions Not
Contemplated, He Asserts, by
Those Having the Money.

ST. PAUL, Mimi. November 2S.-James
J. Hill. president of the Great Northern
railway, declared in an interview yester-
day that the American people had been
extravagant and that they are about to
harvest the fruits grown of extravaganza.
He declared it would be futile to dis
cuss the untoward things that confront
the American people: that the country
faces no panic, and that matters would
finally adjust themselves after expert
ence and much money have contributed to
the solution.
when 1 told President Taft few days
ago. said Mr.. Hill, that there would be
many thousands of men thrown into idle
ness next year he was almost incredulous
of my sincerity. But 1 am not making
guess; it will be a fact
The Presidents Environment.
Here Mr. Hill paused for few rehec-
tons upon the chief executive, parenthet-
ically declaring that the President lis
good fellow that he means well, but
added that he has made lots of mistakes
THE trouble with Mr.. Taft. he con-
tinued, lis that he lives in 4blitical at
mosphere. He can't get away from IT.
1t peryades Washington, and the Presi-
dents views of conditions are limited IN
a large measure by those who surround
him.
"Why not get business men to accept
Officer" repeated Mr.. Hill. THAT would
be altogether impossible. A business man
could not remain in the position His
election could come about only through
the efforts of those supporting them,
which would mean besieging. horde OF
Officeseekers.''
Americans Too Complacent.
Mr.. Hill declared that American people
were too complacent. They spend too
freely and are greatly inclined to take
rosy view of things, entirely unWar-
ranted by circumstances.
"Extravagance has been our great
fault he said. I'VE have been wasting
entirely too much in nOnproductive under
takings. AS rule we have been given
too much to adornments. We have be-
come obsessed with the city beautifur
in municipal affairs. We have followed
like policies in the state and national
governments.
"Batteships, not only in this country,
but also abroad, are illustrations of the
extravaganza in which the world has
been plunged for the last two decades.
The money for the construction or these
has been withdrawn from commercial
circles and almost as good as squandered,
so far as there can be any tangible re-
suits observed.
Easy to Contract Debts.
I'VE have gone to considerable expense
to dig the Panama canal. l presume now
we will have to fortify it. It's all very
we'll to make appropriations for such
purposes-it's easy to contract debts, but
the real difficulty arises when we come
to get the money with which to make
the payments.
IF a man buys farm and cultivates
it he contributes to the material wealth
of society. If he permits the land to lie
idle he has subtracted from the general
wealth. by Withdrawing his money from
commerce and investing it in nonprof1t-
able enterprise. The latter illustration
serves best to indicate our trend in all
departments of our government.
Little Being Projected.
Disclaiming any intention of posing as
q calamity prophet, Mr.. Hill insisted,
however, that IT was not a guess, but an
absolute certainty as to what awaits the
country when business activities become
dormant. He pointed out that at present
there is very little projected. which
means suspension of activities.
do you hear of any generally sys-
tematic plans for improvement during the