The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-08
Civ Enterprise.

crtilgt its powers 10 iiSio'"I 10 ~
doing business and facilitating commerce.
Among the first of these means is the pro-
motion of the comfort of the inhabitants.
rho c,se OF communication between the dil-
f,reut ,arts of the city. and the case OF
transportation along its thoroughfares that
commerce may in no way tc INSTRUCTED CT
even impedcd in its course.
First comes water supply, then light theh
facility of intercourse, then parks and plea
SAINT drives, and ornamental improvements
generally. The cities of the day CONSIDER inc
last named of hardly secondary Importance
in tho matter Of increasing the fame and tue
trade of city. Business men look 10 tleih
with interest, aud when they set ont to the
llrsc cities TO lay in new sto"ksthey conSidef
where they shall go to derive the most pea
sure and make the best purchases. Here Is
the point OF departure. Startln@f from II, iuc
LEGISLATORS Of city, who have its welfare III
their custody, must consider what shape thes
will give to their policy for the purpose VI
adyanciu" the local interests in view OIL IDS
fact.
Look where VIC may we sec cities fully
alive TO the Importance of improving tue
means of commerce and commencing them
selves to the stranger by every feature OF
beauty and grace which may adorn city or
promote its comfort. We called attention Il
few days since to the scheme for supplying
Baltimore with an abundant volume Of WI
fer for domestic and manufacturing purposes,
ans, for tlusllin" the arhor and renewing the
city of the intoerabie stencil that now rises
from if and enters the dwellings Of the III
hahitants.
Another grand plan for the benefit OF that
city by facilitating commerce is the con>truc-
ton Of Il ship canal from the Chesapeake 10
the Delaware bay. This will avoid tic
long voyage down the Chesapeake,
and enable vessels bound for Europe
to be within forty miles Of the ocean.
This scheme is entirely practicable and we
believe will he carried out. 1t will give Dai-
iju,ore an immense advantage, and we stu
ccrely hone it will he carried out. We have
no narrow feeling of jealousy towards that
city, but wish her every success. IL kicil-
mond cmullt,s her example, she Will be all
wc could with her to he. II she stands Idlc
and does nothing while her sister cities are
cxcrling themselves in the modern ways for
prcmotiur their own cleanliness and colil-
fort and facilitating industry and commerce,
she deserves 10 finger i'll apathy and OBJ
str;,ctior, and in The sense of popular apl'ro-
baton and patronage to he damned.
What are we doing: We have done Il
noble thing in the tunnel and the deepening
of the channel of james river. But what
nave we done to unite our people by fhclll-
t,ting INSTRUMENTATION and to promote
commerce Ivy grading our thoroughturc> ::
What have we done to please the guest and
to tempt him to prolon@ his stay with us:
Nothing. The best diversion we have for
him is to give him Il turn in graveyard
We haze not graded our streets. we
have not purchased park. we have not
established perfect communication between
the tornrraphical divisions Of the city. Even
Manchester is about 10 have Il E,T%c park.
and is otherwise. with her limited mcans,
setting IN example worthy OF the emulation
of Richmond, who treated her so rudcy last
winter.
And what are we dong: Carrying on 4
miserable system Of Improvement, governed
b. ward jcaIoltsic$ aud suburban greed
pitching up ragged ends and filling up holes
| ut the cXtrcmitics, lcaym" utterly neglected
the schemes which relate to the very life OF
the city, whose theatre is ut the very heart OF
the supreme interests which arc vital to Our
prosperity and growth.
There is Il want OF appreciation of the
critical period at which VIC have arrived,
Men seem to think that nothing is TO happen
aud that we may 90 along rs we have done
for long years, resting upon our chairs, and
waiting for something to turn up. This
dream is fatal, il longer INDUCED. \ hail
! century ago DR.. ADAMS saw that Richmond
needed ways Of communication between her
hills, and vainly attempted to make them,
lie was pronounced a visionary. aud was
financially ruined in an attempt to reach in
his way wise object. Nothing has since
been done to carry out that object, except
through individual enterprise. We owe to
individual enterprise Tie continuation of
Broad street across Adams's valley land that
is all that has been done since the day of DR..
ADAMS to carry out his very public-spiritcdl
and wise purpose.
Now, we tell the people of Richmond that
Il great revolution in commerce is at hand
one that offers to them opportunities of the
brightest character for improving their city
and Increasing its prosperity. II they fail to
seize them their city will lnger the object of
ridicule for its apathy in the midst of enter
prise and liberality. The critic will continue
his taunt "Richmond has been for long
"years destined to greatness, but still Rich.
"mond is not great. She is like man
"ncver is, but always to be hlest." We ap.
peal to the city authorities to consider these
matters, and not to delay important works
essential to the welfare of Richmond. Great.
ness does not force itself upon people. That
would be to reverse the providental law
| Only those whose enterprise, forecast, and
industry entitle them to great success ever
win it. II is not for It's TO command success.
Wesnay deserve it, and thus win it.
- ----
| The tyranny and tie TlSc.lity of The Ad.
ministration game in North Carolina are suf-
| fciently apparent to attract the attention OF