Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-01-12
WILMINGTON, DEL.
Friday Afternoon, January. ~.
HOW WILMINGTON FEELS TOWARD PHIL.
ADELPHIA.

In our article upon wilmington as Philadel-
phia's Shipping Port, ," q number Of points raised
BY the North American we're left unreferred to.
First, that the cities below Philadelphia are
delighted with anything that obstructs her COM
merce. Second that they ''vainly dream" OF
robbing Philadelphia Of her greatness. Third,
an intimation that having no enterprise Of their
own, they envy Philadelphia, ioho has
To all these unneighborly little filings, we
reply, that Wilmington enyies Philadelphia, net
at all, and is neither jealous nor coyetous Of
her greatness. We rather rejoice at it. Her
situation her industrial and dcommercialinterests,
her people, her habits make her our elder sister.
II she is bit ill-tempered because we tell her
some plain truth about her commerce. we can
afford to smile at the inlrmity. The Horse
Shoe" business certainly is aggravating.
We have, indeed, just pride in Philadelphia.
Our close geographical, business and social con-
nectiou has produced natural unity Of feeling
and to allege that we rejoice in Philadelphia's
injury, or hope to profit through her loss, is
gratuitous and unkind. Little minds moved by
petty considerations and inclined to ascribe to
others equal narrowness Of motive might be-
leve this OF us, but the idea is unworthy Of the
North american, and we here take occasion to
repel the imputaton it contains. We say to our
friends in Philadelphia, that even il blood were
not thicker than water, il no ties but those pure
ly selfish and commercial connected their city
and our own these alone would forbid us from
adding to or rejoicing in her difficulties or her
misfertunes. A paralysis Of Philadelphia would
be no gentle shock to Wilmington.
With feelings so cordial and so fraternal on
our part, we have right to wish that fuller JUS
tice we're done US. We may instance the matter
Of iron ship-building. This-like all our Will
mington industries-has grown up here upon
the capital, the skill the energy, and the expe-
rence, Of our own people. 1t owes Philade-
phia nothing,-it owes no other city anything
for its success, though its development has been
so great that our yards have built more iron ves-
sells than all the other cities in the United States
combined.
1t therefore is only matter for ridicule when
the North American gravely pretends that its
city has "helped" US to establish ron-ship-
building Preposterous thought As joke it
poor as a serious suggestion it is ridiculous.
But we do not mean to betray single impa-
tient feeling, even on this provocation. We are
sensitive concerning our industries, for we have
reared them patiently, laboriously, and with in
finite pains. Our varied manufactures are the
product Of hard and unceasing effort. With no
help from outside, we have made economy and
skill supply the want of sufficient capital and
the industries Of Wilmington are monument to
the indomitable pluck and perseverance of eur
people.
Wilmington, indeed, stands upon her own
foundation, in wonderful degree. The outside
world has given her little for which full value
was not had in return. She has stood up fol
herself, and if her progress has been moderate
it has been safe and real.
So much for the points referred to by the
North American, as to the feeling of Whining
ton toward PHILADELPHIA