Evening star., 1869-07-07
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL LONwHEEL~.

hVu'e' 'unscrupuious Chicago is always on
the alert TO damage her mos, dreaded rival. -.
LouF' Ine latest dodge of the schemIng
Chieasoans Is to persuade ST Louis tina, sue
ought 10 nave the National Capitol by right of
merit and position. The Chicago Tri5uas of
Monday graveIv points out the re asons wnv of
All places the seat Of government should be
located AZ 81. Louis. The Tribune gracefulIy
aoandons all claims for CapitoIine honors for
Cnicago, IN behalf of its Missouri rival. TIA
otner possible claimants are dismissed with a
wave of the hand. Cincinnati is not central
enough, and the hills are too broken Memphis
ls too Southern, both in position and poIitics
ST. LOUIS Is Just the place-good sscIety-cen.
tIai location as to area and population-beau
uful scehery-s noble river-fne cIimare-apd
every hing lovely.
As for Chicago, tor the first time in the his.
tory OF that city or its press, the admission is
eanoidiy made that it mas some Ie.ne draw.
backs. Indeed, the Tri5Ene. In Its friendly
solici,ude IN behalf of St Louis, is almost
depreciatory Of the magnificent Lake CITY,
saying.
The severity Of our winters and springs for
persons, many OF whom will be residents OF
ihe sunny South, and tie monotony OF our
location, which Is the only monotonous thing
we have, are reasons Why Chicago NAV freely
abarcon any claims sne mi ght De expected 4,
make TO selection for the National Capital"
This is generous, nay magnanimous. But
the TriLune isn't smaIt-for Chicago it isn't
half smart. Ii goes on TO let the cat out OF the
bag and show uLy Barkls is so volubly.wiIlin,"
to see the seat of government placed at st.
Louis Says that paper (Italics oursl:
"ChIcago rests content with her position as
the commercial metropolis of the central basin
drained by the lakes, the Mississippi ard Its
ributaries. Her commercidI and 6usinsss ia-
teTeSS UOHid be injured by com iag undsr ke sxcIu
sire legislation Of t0n0ress (as Eoulf be required
6y the constitutions # the seut Of government ucers
brought h,ret IA deeree that eren the acc,ssion
Of he eopltdi, y she could obtain u, would out.
tceiQh chicago prefers the wisdom of her
local Solons. her Mayor and Common Council
Lind Cf Legislation rhiei coud be done for ker by
h0norab's msmters from Florida, Rhode Island,
Alaska nd Ttx1s "
That's il exactly! Chicago belle YES that she
could not infiict q greater blow upon the pu al
ness prosperity Of 81. Louis than by bringing
her uI der the blighting influences of the Gov.
ernmental incubus, deprivIng her of any voice
In the conduct of her own mu nicipal affairs
and subjeetiDg her as Washington 10 sub.
iecfed-to the caprices or the neglect of Con.
gress and Congressional District Commit
tees" Well might Chicago eouckle il she
could thus hamper and emasculats her mos,
formidable rival But we woult suggest to
Chicago the advisaolllty Of placing the Cap
ital on wheels, and when che has used the
Trojan gift 10 efectually do the business for
81 Lsuie, she might move il about through the
Great West 10 kill on in succession any local.
Iues threatening business rivalry with herself
Ii will be about as possible to place the Ma.
uonsl Capital on running gear as to stake
down the present public buildings OF Wash.
irgton stone by stone, load them on Govern.
ment and other vessels, carry them to St
Louis, and erect them precisely as they now
stand" THIS novel idea when broached last
winter by Western member, was received with
such gufaw that we hardly supposed II
would be reproduced in q hurry. But the
Tribune evidently has not given much attention
TO the practical part of its grand project;
the Chlcagcan habit OF dealing ely pokss
under the RIBS Of 81. Louis. Its se.emn
endorsement OF the healthfulness Of ST. Louis
Is creamily good In view of the fact that tn,
people OF that city are In the habit OF abandon.
Ing the CITY pell- nell almost every year to
escape the cholera or yellow fever It's pretty
certsin that Congress wouldn't be ant to hold
very long summer, sessions there and icould bs
apt TO adjourn In q hurry every now and then,
Equally funny Is the TJi5une's praise OF the
noble nyer used Is drinking water at ST
Louis, which deposits bali an inch OF sediment
TO tne tumbler-full, and which, as Mr. Benton
used TO say, Is too thick to SWIM in and not
quite thick enough 10 walk upon On the
whole so much malice against ST. Louis crops
out from the Tribune article that ir is not likely
TO greatly advance the chances for the removal
OF the capital TO that city.