The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-02-10

shine they bask and steam and rot IN
prosperity to which they contribute
nothing, and in the storm they fold them
selves up in their title deeds and NOR tgages
and lay themselves away in lavender, to
escape an adversely which they do nothing
TO relieve. These men, it is observable, uni
formly demand the most extravagant prices
for lots or lands at the same time that they
exhibit thorough disregard and apparent
ignorance OF all the topical conditions Of
value in their property. They will ask
5000 pr foot front for lots on Third street
without hesitation, but they cannot for the
life Of them give any reasonable grounds
why their lots should be worth that price
They seem to regard the scale of values as
adjusted for them by some ordinance OF na-
ture, as something Providential, fixed aud
arbitrary. They ask 5000 per foot be-
cause 5000 is the usua! price. II the price
should fall TO $50 or rise 10 $500, they would
deplorc their losses or exult in their good
fortune as the case may be, without the least
consciousness Of, or enquiry into, the causes
which produce the fluctuation. These causes
seem to them located entirely beyond the
bounds OF human interpositon, and it is in
comprehensive to them how people
can be fools enough to trouble them.
sevles about matters outside the mar
row circle of their private transac.
tons. Red River, and Saskatchewan,
and Puget Sound, are no affair Of theirs.
Jupiter and Sirius, and the Moon, although
they have no immediate pecuniary interest
in those planets are not palpably absurd be-
canse they are within the range of actual
observation--but, Saskatchewan Good
Heavens how can people make such fools
OF themselves! "Do you ever expect" said
a email specimen of this class, to US the
other day, do you ever expect to make any
thing out OF this Saskatchewan, you are talk
ing about? would like to know if YOU &C.
tuay believe that anybody will ever 60 to
live there, and if they do what is it to you
or me "
1t issach wooden stupidity as this, which
walls up the path Of enterprise for the peo-
pie Of st. Paul on every hand To the few
men who have the grasp and enterprise to
take hold Of the causes which underlie the
common veal, it is not only necessary to
overcome the ignorance and prejudices of
people abroad, but the grosser stupidity and
small parslmony Of people at home.
I In the recent spirited and enthusiastic
gatherings, which have been held in this city
to give expression to public sentiment, which
has long been in course of education. on the
great topical enterprises in which St. Paul
has vital and commanding interest, we
could mention few men whose pecu.
mary interests in the objects of the meet
ing. would outweigh that Of one half OF the
entire meeting, who were not only not pre-
sent, but what is worse, no one expected
them to be present as they uniformly turned
their backs upon all public movements Of
this kind
The men who take the lead in enterprises
OF far-reaching consequence to the COMMUNE
ty, who with infinite toll and pains, endeavor
to arouse the public to active effort, the mon
who do nearly all the work and drudgery
necessary to secure public objects of magn-
tude, and to whose unwearied perseverance
the public will be principally indebted for
the future benefit it is TO receive from the
geographical position of st. Paul, are not
usually Real Estate proprieters. They do
not EXPECT to own Real Estate. They are
working, Just as if their lives depended on it,
TO increase the value of the town.lots owned
by this dull blockhead or that stupid boor--
working from simple arge-hearted ambi.
ton, whose broad circumference embraces
the ambition OF all other men. but has no
room for private objects working with the
true old Roman spirit for the public good,
with DO thought for themselves bat what is
contained in that motive. Ii is such men
as these who give the community pur.
pose--an aim in the lutare-xho are it,
vital principle, It's soul. The rest are mere
carcase, grIstle and old clothes. Now al
we ask Of the carcase, in the great move
ments which st. Paul has now in hand. is
to follow the soul. to obey its impulses and
execute IL will.