Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1910-09-22
HILL ON The BUSINESS OUTLOOK

St. Paul, Mimi, Sept. Is rs NJ = JJames j.
Hill, the Empire Builder the Pa
Their of the NorthWest", cannot sec
why the business men of the country
should at present fear to engage il
new enterprises, nor can he see any
reason whatever for the seml-paraly.
sis which is gradually creeping owe,
the United States.
cts only a senseless lack OF conf.
dence,'' 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
neighbor probably jumped and the
next fellow took fright without know
ing why he was frightened And SO
on.
Its just like flock of sheep. II
one starts to run, every sheep in the
flock will follow, even if they die for
it.
During this big National Conserva-
ton congress we have talked about
conserving water and conserving
land; conserving 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 Harvey in the September
North American Review dealing with
the Conservation of Common Sense,
that we'll illustrates the business con-
dition of this country right now and
gives as the panacea for the business
paralysis, the suggestion that our bus
mess men use little common sense
just ordinary sound common sense. |
wish business men everywhere would
take that advice.
II can See no reason for the fears
which seem to possess our business
men. 1 have preached a 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 bust
ness.
Money and business are, of course,
very careful and it is right that they
should he, but not to the extent of cut.
ting off their noses to spite their
faces. Especially when it is so un-
necessary and they need the noses,
too.
"Here's little excerpt which, to my
mind, bears down hard and strikes at
the core of our present ills:
In the disestablishment of credit
We find the most obvious cause of the
prevailing depression. The link that
connects labor with capital is not
broken, but we may not deny that'it is
less cohesive than it should be or than
conditions warrant. Financially, the
country is stronger than ever before
in it's history. Recovery from a pan
ic 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
government to business. Such, at
any rate, is the plea, and pressure is
contantly brought to bear upon execu
tives and courts to make haste-haste
which, in our judgment, would result
in less speed. Great complications
growing out of nightly changed con
ditions call for the most serious con
slderation. To settle a. grave ques
ton offhand is only to invite disaster
Better not settle it at all until a rea
sonable certainty can be felt that il
can be settled right. Stability is eve1
Capitals primary requirement. Bu
the adjustment which it now demand!
cannot be effected in month or {
year and never can or should be com
plete. Elasticity is the prime requis
lite Of changes essential to develop
ment.
"'But Capital is VIGOROUSLY timid
In the present instance, too, it is ah
solutely foolish. No decision of an,
court can permanently impair any sc
called vested interest. Confscatio1
is undreamed of, as compared will
only few years ago. The disintegra
ton of properties does not involv
their destruction. Moreover. tn
sharp revolt against all combination
those that achieve great good n
less than those that work INJURY
clearly yielding to study and reason