The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-17
GOV. STEWART
PAYS TRIBUTE
TO ]. ]. HILL
Montana Governor Sends EIo-
quent Message to Hill
Has High Praise for Empire
Builder on 18th Birthday
Governor Stewart Was Unable
to Be Present Himself

+ Helena, Mont. Sept. ia beau
tiful tribute was paid to-. James j.
Hill, the empire builder, who cele-
brated his 18TH birthday anniversary
yesterday at Glacier National park, by
Cow ST. W. Stewart Of Montana.
81 Governor Stewart. was unable to be
present at the birthday celebration,
but sent an eloquent message to Louis
w. Hill, son of the empire builder,
expressing his appreciation Of the
work of the pioneer of, the northwest
whom he calls the dreamer Of sue
cessful dreams" both for himself and
the people of Montana.
The letter of Governor Stewart to
Mr.. Hill is as follows:
Helena, Mont, Sept. 16. .~--,.
,"Mr. Louis w. Hill, Glacier Park,
Mont -.E .. 5
"Dear Sir: Dreamers we have in
plenty and they have their place in
the eternal scheme of things although
they cannot play the greatest. part in
the nations upbuilding. Practical men
we have on every hand and to them
it is given to have a large share in
the things that make country great
But there is that rarer. combination
of dreamer and practical man of whom
we have all too few. such one Is
produced probably but once in. a. gen
GRAFTON and though he be born in the
hGmblist circumstances, he is yet. born
with that which is Infinitely better
than the traditional golden spoon In
the mouth. ~ ILL.,
Thrice pleased is the man whose
dreaming of works that shall trans
fer the wilderness into. a populous and
prosperous state or sisterhood of
states, is a. reason of an indomitable
perseverance and an unlying faith to
make his dreams come true. ~
"Such a man was and is James J.
Hill, who is this day being honored
by the men who have known and
worked with him for the past quarter
of a century and longer. 49,,
Half a. century ago it was given to
this man to dream and see visions
that could not come to the ordinary
man. In his active years in his brain
there was radiant vision in which
a. waste then peopled largely by the
Indian and the buffalo was forced 10
give way to civilization and all or
the works that go with it.
"He no doubt often found himself
alone in his belief in the immeasure-
able possibilities of the great north
west when it was essential that he
should have the confidence and as
sistance of others in the development
of his gigantic plans, but he held on
true to his course and the faith that
was in him.
Cast in an heroic mould with the
unquenchable courage Of the Vikings
in his soul this great man of the
northwest dreamed of colossal things
and he could and would build In no
other way.
Across a desert he laid these bands
of steel, confident that time would
richly prove the wisdom of his course
and it is cause for rejoicing that he
has been spared to read the realization
of his visions in the great cities that
have grown up in the northwest, in
the magnificent development of the
fertile lands Of this state, of the coun-
try and in the countless happy homes
that have been established within the
life and, breadth of this prince Of
dreanlers.
Small wonder then that to him
Continued on Page Eight.