The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-04
Trying to Win a White Elephant.


A meeting Of citizens has been held ip st.
Louis for the purpose Of considering the ques-
ton Of removing the National capital from
Washington to that city. Various suggestions
were made in regard to inducements that
should be offered for the proposed change,
such as the cession of tract of territory by
the State Of Missouri, the donation Of sites Of
land for the public buildings hy the city Of St.
Louis and so on. A proposition to call
convention of the Western States interested in
the undertaking, to be held in St. Louis, did
not meet with much favor, inasmuch as two
State conventions are shortly to assemble, one
at Keokuk, which, it was stated, will represent
very largely the commercial interests of that
section Of the country, and the other at Louis
vile, especially representing the interests Of
the Mississippi Valley. 1t was furthermore
urged that whenever the bill is passed to re-
move the seat of government" 1t will not be as
it was in 1890. At that time Congress was
sitting in New York or Philadelphia, while
buildings were beipg erected in Washington
city for the seat Of government. Now there
will be great portion of the present buildings
removed to the new seat Of government-that
is, valuable portions, such as marble columns,
works of art and iron work. Briefly, ''every-
thing that can be moved will be moved"
These are the views of the spokesman at this
initiative meeting in favor Of the transfer Of
the federal capital to the growing empire city
of the Mississippi Valley. What may be re-
garded as somewhat remarkable this move
ment to make st. Louis the capital of the ma
ton receives favor at the hands of such rival
cities as Chicago, Omaha, Keokuk and other
thriving places, while Cincinnati puts in only
faint demurrer, just for appearance sake.
II is the most singular instance of unselfshness
and complaisance ever chronicled in the his
tory of Western rivalries and jealousies.
Now, is there not some sort of ''Old dad"
under that load of hayp Is there not some niger
in that fenceP It would seem $3.50 far at
least as Chicago is concerned-for the papers
of that city, in giving an account of the above
meeting, place their arms akimbo, as it we're,
and with loud outlaw" Ha ha ha!"-cry
out, "St. Louis swallows the bait!" What
1t is a shame that city that claims so high
reputation for virtue and morality as Chicago
should attempt to impose upon and humbug an
innocent and beautiful sister city like St.
Louis. But is not this whole movement among
prominent Western cities to acquesce in max
ing st. Louis the national capital simply
dodge to ruin her morally, politically, socially
and commercially as competitor for the trade
Of the West? Make St. Louis the capital Of
the republic and you will make her the centre
of all the vile intrigues, the villan0us jobs, the
plundering schemes that now disgrace the ma
ton in that sink Of political iniquity, the city
of Washington, whose commerce, including
the other ports in the District, twenty-five
years ago was respectable to what 1t is now,
being reduced from large fotilla of vessels,
transporting full cargoes to the North and
all parts Of the world, TO an occasional shad
boat or herring smack That will be the fate
of the now thriving city of st. Louis If she Is
tempted to swallow the bait 80 tenderly offered
1t by that mouse in the meal bag, Chicago
No young and growing city, whose energies
are being developed as the tide of population
and commerce flows toward It by the irresisti-
BILE progress of events, should allow her moral
ity and integrity to be undermined, the sinews
of her enterprise snapped, and the entire cur
rent of her prosperity diverted from her
wharves and levees her railroads and other
communications with the interior, by some
less favored but less ambitious polnt--by the
Introduction of the intrigues, the corruptions,
the vice and decentralization that will follow in
the train that carries the dome OF the capital
from Washington westward. IL -. Louis