New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
HILL LIKES ANGELS
BETTER THAN STEEL
Would Have "Red and Wnlle
Wings" Before He Would
Enter That Business.
HE COINS MANY EPlGRAMS
Only Millennium Will End Com
petition-Great Northern
Stockholders Are Not
in Mourning.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

in Mourning.
From The Tribune Bureau
Washington, Feb. 13-Disagreeing WIN
Andrew Carnegie, Judge f. H. Gary anu
George w. Perkins. who have advocated
federal regulation of large industrial cor
porations, James j. Hill. pioneer railroad
king of the Northwest, exhibited his rugged
personality Just as he left the witness
stand before the Stanley steel investigating
committee to-day. In the last ten minutes
of the hearing Mr.. Hill left the following
characteristic epigrams with the comhi''-
tee:
THE age of competition won't pass uh'''
you change human nature. 1t Will exist as
long as the law Of the survival OF the nj
test is true"
'I'n be first class angel, with red ana
white feathers in my wings, before ! II ever
go into the steel business
when the federal government mas 10
regulate competition there Will be no leu
eral government"
1--WE are not wearing any Grape because
| the United States Steel Corporation is CIV
| ing us back our ore leases"
wall Streets opinion has never inter-
ested me particularly I'm satisfied 10 hoiu
my ore interests"
| AS Mr.. Hill prepared TO leave the witness
! stand. after talking all the afternoon ABOUT
| the ore deposits in the Mesaba range,
Chairman Stanley and Representative beaI'
| asked the questions that brought the epi-
grammatic responses. Mr.. Beall wanted 10
know what the millionaire OF the North-
west thought Of the statements OF MT Car-
| negie and others that the age or com
| petition has about passed and that some
government agency must control the big
interests. Mr. Hill had little sympathy
with these views. and so asserted.
! Mr.. Hi said he found the conclusions OF
! Herbert Knox Smith, Commissioner Of Cor
/ porations so divergent from his own views
! that he did not bother TO read Mr.. smith
entire report. Representative Gardner
| asked the picturesque witness II he would
not read the Smith report and tell the
committee OF any inaccuracies Mr.. Hin
declined. saying that he "Iidnt nave tme
! and was no expert, anyway.
You will be in a comfortable position, no
matter whether the lease is cancelled or
not. won't Fou?' asked Chairman Stan
ley. You could start steel company OF
your own with 100000 tons of ore in the
ground?"
Has Done All His Hard Work.
Il will be a first class angel, with red and
white feathers ia my wings long before
ever consider going into the steel bust
ness" replied Mr.. Hill. "I'll be seventy
four years old on my next birthday, and
don't mind telling you that I've done about
all the hard work intend to do in life.
But you did at one time contemplate
going into the steel business, didn't you"
Chairman Stanley asked intimating That
this was one OF the reasons that led the
Steel Corporation TO insist on leasing the
Hill ore lands.
'I never dd." said Mr.. Hill. Amy re-
ports of that kind were untrue"
Just before Mr.. Hill was excused, Repre-
sentative Beall. of Texas. called his atten-
ton to the declaration OF F. II. Gary.
chairman Of the board OF the Steel Cor
poration, and other business men, TO the
effect that the day Of competition had
passed I'm this country, and that the time
was at hand when the government must
regulate maximum and minimum prices OF
commodities.
Il think that you will have 10 tame
human nature and eliminate all selfish
motives that rule human beings and every
other form OF life before YOU will eliminate
competition" remarked Mr.. Hill. There
will be competition just as long az the
doctrine of the survival OF the fttest lasts.
and that will be operating long after all
orr present statutes have been wiped off
the books"
No Government Control Of Business.
DO you think. then. 1t wo1ld be unwise
for the federal government TO assume con-
troll OF business" asked Mr.. Beall.
81 think when the federal government
does that It will be a very short step until
there will be no federal government" was
Mr. Hilrs quick reply
You think that such government
would not be much like republic"
1t would he a monarchy replied MI.
Hill
Chairman Stanley asked II Mr.. Hill
thought big corporations, operating unde'
a new golden rule Of business. aided by thc
government in fixing prices and prevent
ing them from hurting one another but not
preventing them from crushing labor,
would aid in holding society together.
How long do you think this government
would last under such conditions" asked
Mr.. Stanley.
"Oh. we might last week" Mr.. Hill
smillngly replied.
Then you don't believe that the United
States should undertake 10 regulate busi-
ness?" Mr.. Beall resumed.
Il would lay down the law Of right and
wrong" said Mr.. Hill II would limit the
power of corporations. | would see that
every corporation that started business pu;
all the money in. and | would not he
| jealous on account OF the size of the cor
| poratlon. ] wouldn't permit any watering
Of stock. would see that 100 cents on
| every dollar was put up and that money
! was on hand TO take care of it."
( We'll. you tried railroad com mbination
once. didn't you:' asked Representative
I Bartlett referring TO the Northern Securl-
( ties case. The government didn't let you
| carry 1t out, and you are still ding a
/ profitable railroad BUSINESS
I Yes. and not making any complaint.
said Mr.. Hill.
Mr. Beall again asked If the witness had
| faith in competition.
Cannot Eliminate Competition.
You ask me IL | have faith" he an.
swered. II feel like the man whose wife
was dying. The minister came and asked
the husband II she were resigned. He re.
I piled that she had not. / haven't resigned
faith In competition. ! don't think IL Is
| within the power OF man TO eliminate com