The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-07
Cincinnati and marseiIles.

| The venerable governor of Ohio, on Friday,
addressed the merchants of Cincinnati on
the subject of commerce, and, il is needless to
say succeeded in making very pretty speech.
He pleased his audience greatly by COM
parison which he instituted between the
cities OF Cincinnati and Marseilles. The
parallel was conceived and carried out in
happy spirit, and cannot fail to impress any
mind to which it is presented.
The former city is scarcely century
old, and spranG up in a wilderness.
It numbers to-day 100000 inhabitants and
is conspicuous FOR wealth, industry and re-
finement, maintaining commanding iuflu-
ence throughout vast stretch of country.
The latter grew up on the shores OF the
Mediterranean $500 years, in the lap of
ancient civilization, and on the highway OF
ancient traffic. Its climate was the softest
that can be found, and it was peopled by
the races who have ever led the thought
and been prominent in the activity Of the
world. Yet Marseilles to-day is inferior
in population to Cincinnati, scarcely
containing 10000. "What," asked the
governor, after thus forcibly stating
the prominent features of the contrast. sis
tbecause of this extraordinary fact?
will tell you the cause, the only one posi-
bic cause-that cause is free government"
Certainly free government has had much to
do with the development of the nation, and
consequently with the growth of particular
cities, and yet Mr.. Aliens argument from a
particular case has serious defect. The
IL ta I,,o
commercial than political causes. 1t may
be traced to the same source as the decay of
Venice and Genoa, and the enor-
nous growth of London. The
commerce of the ancient world
and of the middle ages was confined to the
Mediterranean, and Venice especially owed
her supremacy to the fact that she became
the distributing market of Europe, receiving
through her gallsys the rich trade of the
East, which had crossed overland from
India, and sending the merchandise through
out Germany, France and Britain. The
fleets of all nations went bIther and thither
on that single sea. But when the Portuguese
sailors discovered the passage to the East
around the Cape of Good Hope, commerce
took a new channel. IL no longer crossed
the deserts in caravans, but followed
the tedious water way along the
coast of Africa and entered at Lisbon,
Amsterdam and London. The cities of the
Mediterranean were cut off from the high
ways of trade and withered away. The dis
covery OF the New World and the command
of the commerce of the east and west, which
England won from Spain and Holland, gave
her new vigor, which she still retains. To
compare Cincinnati with Liverpool. a COM
paratively new city, might not afford the
merchants ofthe former town so much cause
for exultation, and might seriously affect
Governor Aliens theory. unless he holds
that Great Britain is freer than Amer
lea. 1t is true that the cities and
nations which have controlled COM
merce have generally, though not invaria-
bly,, been those famous for liberal govern
ment, like Venice, England and Holland;
but the cause Of their prosperity was shrewd-
ness in controlling the course of trade; and
their. form of government only aided in so
far as it developed the spirit OF enterprise.
1t is, too. curious fact that the most inn
portant enterprisesof modern commerce and
civilization such as the voyages of Colon
bus and De CANA, and the establishment
of English trade in India, are due to the pat
ronage of royalty. 1t might be added, more
over with especial reference to the compar-
isOn between Cincinnati and Marseilles
that tthe day may come when it can
be made with less disadvantage to the French
city. Had the dynasty of Napoleon been
triumphant in the Franco-Prussian war and
the Emperor lived to carry out his designs,
it is probab that the Suez canal would have
been ere this, turned to the use for which it