The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1876-12-04
County and City Official Press
Monday, December 4.
MUNICIPAL GOOD TASTE.

Stg1Hkefr Jii tHtI AEsN atsAsst 'a bss
harbor often express degree Of disap-
pointtnent in the appearance OF our
city which they regard as dlspro-
portioned TO its reputation abroad as
commercial emporium At first sight
il Is little incongruous that the me
tropolis Of an independent American
common wealth having its seat on one
Of the fines, and most admirably located
ports Of the Union should present 50
plain and modest front Certainly
there are few or no towns on the Pacific
coast tina. have attained Ia popula
ton Of four Thousand or more tha. e1-
hibit 50 little Inetensions To grandeur
Of architecture, either IN residences or
commercial and public buildings. Yet
this fact cvincss on the part Of our pi-
oneers both good taste and sagaei,y
Good taste does hot consist ia
garish display NOT splendor PER q.
but in adaptation Of accessories To
circumstances. II is not good taste To
live beyod ones means even though
no very extravagant degree OF luxury
he indulgcd ia after all Seattle may
not b. able IL boast of as many costly
building. as other town Of smaller
business aud Industrial consequence.
\ vet she can muster round thousand "
voters aud able-bodied workers u
number which NJ the rate II reckoning
adopted Ia other place, would indi-
cate population in the city of five
or six thousand This fact i. itself q
circumstance Of potent significance.
IL means labor power conferred here
that is capable Of producing a vast an-
nual aggregate Of wealth the most
valuable capital which a country can
possess. for it is that which produces
every other kind of capital.
Though perhaps open to tho
criticism of being rather
great rambling village than .
city, on account oi the wide area over
which its cottage residences aud mod
est holnesteads are spread, there is both
reason and policy to be urged in ex-
PLANTATION of tho fact. Through the
niggnrdly policy of the government.
and more favored competitors. Seattle
has never been able To- command any
appreciabls amount OF support from any
public patronage or appropriations. In
the midst OF an almost unbrokon forest.
retarding agriculture and settlement
and having Ia struggle for position on
an inland sea where every landing place
and seat Of industry along shore of
eighteen hundred miles nigh, be n
competing point OF commercial dis
tribution. it's road TO wealth has Of
necessity been long and slow. But in
proportion to the severity o. its struggle
will b. the magnitude and assurance
Of its future prospsri,y---if our citizens
do not go 10 sleep OH their oars before
the race is over.
In thus avoiding unnecessary outlay
Tor ornament and show, our people
have been building wiser than they
knew. One result of the system is
that business may be transacted more
economically through saving Of rental.
Larger margin for profits Is afforded
aud larger surplus made available
for the practical development, of the
country.
Another circumstance attending this
sporadic style OF growth is tha, the
ownership Of city property is more
widely distributed and broader
foundation laid for the future. When
the scattered suburbs grow eompAcsly
together and become solitlly built we
will have a truly democratic city. with
his, Of equal aud Independent, hol :
ders, instead of real estate being con
centrated anhe,lthily in the hands Of
a few mlllionaires. Every town 10,
sold TO all actual settler Is an anchor TO
the town and a pledge Tor its advance
meat
These facts arc directly ia aoeord
with the wisest policy OF oaan,ry
The permanent growth # the city ii
self demands that every preference
should no male IN favor of fostering
the spread Of improvements outward
iato the country, and developing ma
tersal resources /, is impaired and an
early limi, pa, TO lis continuance by
the opposite lmpvudence Of eoncentra,.
ing aud narrowing down the CHARMED
limits of wealth and comfort. or pro
dneing an inequality between the rcla
tive luxury Of city AMI country life
:. III fsses,as saa 6 hAsssaGns MS PREY
"hen wealth scuaaelAtes saA saer asxAs