The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-05-31

way builder reached even beyond the
coast lines OF the Western United
States. He had long made a study OF
American commercial relations with
China and Japan and personal inves-
tigation had convinced him that an
eager market for American wares lay
over there in the region of the rising
sun.
The next step was the organization
of the steamship lines directly con.
Meeting the Great Northern and North
ern Pacific railways with Japan and
China, via Seattle, by means of the
biggest merchant ships ever launched
on the Pacific.
In 1901 the company decided to
open negotiations for the joint pur
chase of the Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy system by the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific, and the deal
was carried through successfully.
Holding Company illegal,
1t was planned, through the forma
ton of the National Securities com.
IhtAF > u @ iApiAAliIS NIAARtAh W NH~
control of these three great properties
This was declared illegal, under the
Sherman antitrust law, by n divided
court, upon suit by the United States
government, and the Northern Securi.
ties company was dissolved.
In 1907 the subsidiary companies
controlled by the Great Northern, in.
Guiding fourteen railway companies
operated as a part OF 1t, were pEr.
chased and Incorporated into the Great
Northern system. In the same yea
Mr.. Hill resigned the presidency OF
the system and became chairman OF
the board of directors, an office he
held until July /, 1912, when he re.
signed.
Along with Mr.. Hills railroad ac.
tivities he also branched into the bank.
ing business.
The greatest event in the history OF
the First National bank in st. Paul
was its merger with the Second Ma
tionai on Jan. /, 1913, after ]. j. Hill
and his associates had acquired a sub
stantial interest in both institutions.
When Mr.. Hin acquired his inter
ests in the two banks and merged
them he at the same time got control
Of the Northwestern Trust company
with a view TO providing the means
in st. Paul for handling large finan-
cial transactions and operations that
had previously been made through the
great banking institutions of New
York and other large cities.
Urged Scientific Farming.
A deep student of economics and So
GEOLOGY Mr.. Hill believed that the sci.
entiic development of the farm was
the solution OF many vexing problems.
The balance of population and in
dustry," he said, has been disturbed
and must be restored. The progress
sive decline of the percentage of our
people engaged In agriculture and the
steady drift of the population from
the country to cities and towns are
the proof. For half a century we
have been building up every other ma.
tional interest at the cos OF the farm.
We should reverse this policy"
Actuated by his deep personal faith
In this doctrine he lost no opportunity
Of putting helps toward successful cul.
t~ivation OF the soil into the hands of
farmers throughout the West. Hin
self an expert In the science of agri-
culture and stock raising, he put ma
terial for experiment at the disposal
of others who had ambition without
means.
Mr.. Hill also did much to develop
stock raising in the Northwest and to
further this idea he spent large sums
of money for the importation OF blood.
ed stock for the improvement OF the
herds along his lines of railroad.
Requests for Education.
Mr.. Hill many times demonstrated
In a practical way his belief in the
necessity for higher education. These
demonstrations have taken the form
generally, of requests to colleges anC
universities. The st. Paul Catholic
Theological seminary he built and en-
dowed at a cost of $500, 900, and the
breadth of his views is illustrated In
the fact that he has likewise giver
large benefactions to Manchester col
lege and Hamline university, the one
a Presbyterian and the other a Meth
odist institution. Numerous smaller
! schools throughout the West have
/, been tided over financial difficulties BY
his generosity.
} One of the last great achievement
of Mr.. Hill was the erection of tn,
: Railroad building In st. Paul. costint
: 100000 and covering nearly al en-
tire book. II is nearly twice as large
as any other st. Paul building anC
| double the size of any other railroad
l building in the United States.
Leading Figure In Gigantic Loan.
Mr.. Hill recently added to hi:
laurels az n of the worlds creates
, fnanciers by being the leading factor
in the negotiations for a $500, 000, 00(
loan to the allies In the European war