Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-09-19
.THEEMPIRE BUILDER
JAMES J. HILL SAYS NO REASON
EXISTS FOR FEAR.
Conservation of Common Sense Re-
CURED TO Avoid SenSieSS Lack of
Confidence. No Menace to Property
in Seeking Solutions for New Prob
lens as they Arise.

ST. PAUL, Mimi, Sept 1S.-James
y. Hill, the Empire Builder" the
/ Father of the Northwest" cannot
see why the business men of the
country should at present fear to en-.
gage in new enterprises, nor can he
see any reason whatever for the semi.
paralysis which is gradually creeping
over the United States.
! ITS only senseess lack of con-
fdence." said Mr.. Hill in an inter
view 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. If
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.
I 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 Riview dealing with
the Conservation of Common Sense
that well illustrates the business con.
dition OF this country right now and
gives as the panaca for the business
paralysis the suggestion that our
business men use little common
sense-just ordinary sound common
sense. wish business men every.
where would take that advice
81 can see no reason for the fears
| which seem to possess our business
men. 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 busi-
ness.
Money and business are of course.
very careful and it is right that they
should be. but not to the extent of
cutting off their noses to spite their
faces. Especially when it is so un-
necessary and they need the noses.
too
Here's is a 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 1t
is less cohesive than 1t should be or
than conditions warrant. Financially
the country is stronger than ever be-
fore in its history. Recovery from
q panic so severe as that of three
years ago was never before so prompt
and comparatively complete. The
masses are practically free from debt.
Money is held by the banks in abund-
ance and rates are low.
"'Why then does capital pause up
on 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
constantly brought to bear upon eX.
ecutives and courts to make haste
haste which, in our judgment, would
result in less speed. Great complica-
tions growing out of nightly chang.
ed conditions call for the most serious
consideration. To settle grave
question offhand is only to invite dis
aster. Better not settle it at all un-
til reasonable certainty can be felt
that it can be settled right. Stabil-
ity is ever capitals primary require
ment. But the adjustment which it
now demands cannot be effected in
a month or year and never can or
should be complete. Elasticity is the
prime requisite of changes essential
+" development.
Hut capital is notoriously timid.
In the present instance. too. it is alb
solutely foolish. No decision of any
court can permanently impair any
so-called vested interest. Confisca- |
tion is undroamed of ,as compared
with only few years ago. The dis |,
intereratiOn of properties does not !
involve their destruction. Moreover. A..
the sharp revolt against all comhina- I
tiOns-thOsc that achieve great good
no less than those that work injury
is clearly Yielding to study and rea- /
son. No sane person now maintains
that business-especially manufacture 4
ing-can or should be done as it was
done half a century ago. In a broad
sense, the day of the individual COM
pettor is past but the opportunity
of the individual remains even wider
within the corporation, The solo
problem consists of determining how
2DYnrlmout can maiviain lN even hal