The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-06-23

John A. Sleicher, in Leslie's.
 A N immigrant boy who became 2 "A captain of industry and left sloo,- 4 A 100000 has just died at St. Paul His life is a lesson to every aspiring youth in the land. It will give him new heart to take up the tasks that lie be- l fore him and that lie before every one whose goal is the highest achievement | The life of James J. Hill is in itself a striking rebuke to the preachers of dis | content whether on the soap box at the corner, at the desk of the college pro- lessor or in the pulpit of the preacher | who stirs the passions of the people by Genouncing captains of industry as the unworthy beneficiaries of special ta- vors.
 From the humblest station iiI life Mir. Hill rose to be the master builder of the great northwest. He goes to his grave in the fitness of years mourned by mil lions of his beneficiares. What he has cone in a big way, others have done and are still doing in smaller measure. Let us eXalt the story of James J. Hill. It is far better for the rising gene
  pire builders than to cry out that the rich are becoming richer and the poor poorer Let us teach our youth to emu fate the example of the successful, aud to point to men like MT. Hill as the best proof that if the world owes any man living he must go out and get 1t and not ask someone else to get it for nim.
 The farmers son who in 1856, a father less bcy, left the farm, and went tu St,
 Paul on a Mississippi packet was not | moved by spirit of adventure, but Ky | careful judgment. He came to the l United States because he believed 1t was, then as it is today, the door of cppor- tunity for the man of industry, intes- rity and determination.
 | Accepting the humbIest service as 8 1 laborer on the dock, he rose step by step to the masterful control of his vast
 transportation interests, and laid tEs l foundations of colossal fortune.
 | He was a pioneer in the development of one of the richest sections of the country. His sagacity foresuw its flu ture, and his credit enlisted the capital that constructed new highways into the richest unploughed region in the wo.'d l His genius created the farm and the fac .ory, and gave them access to profitable markets.
 l Mr. Hill was home builder He pulled | up the stakes that marked the wilder ness and expanded the agricultural area of the country from the Mississippi river l n,1xr r+1 builder can wipe out the desert, trans.
 form untrodden prairies into blossomine farms and dot them with thriving com munities webbed by lines of railroads 1 When MT. Hill landed from the packet boat at St. Paul that was a frontier 1 town with population of 5000. Today
 it has increased nearly a hundredfold 1 Take the map of the United States Glance at it in 1858 when MT. Hill left his fathers farm at Guelph, Ont. Com. pare it with the map of 1916.
 l Note the priceless wealth that has poured into this vast territory. The Rec river valley the granary of the worlds wheat market feeds the nations; pros porous industries with millions of well l paid employees have been established; anG cites of metropolitan size have arisen l The value of the increase of public wealth made secure on foundations laie
 by one great captain of industry is in calculable. It cannot be expressed ir millions. Who shall say that MT. Hill was not entitled to his enormous for tune? And who shall decry the master builders of our railroads, the captains Iof our industries and the financiers