Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-29
,ivio favors 10 railroad and other ;ndns,ri.,

L
this particular, cities differ as much as individ-
uals. In one city you could easily procure a
vote Tor bridge, a high school, library build
ing, favor to new incoming industry or rail
road. In another, for lack of cooperation
among citizens and largeness of view as to what
contributes to the municipal thrift and prog
ress, you could secure no one of these, even
the enforcement of COW ordinance whereby
| the city is to be saved from becoming COM
mons for anybody's and eyerybody's bovine
Stock will be resisted by some of the citizens
as az invasion of their rights So comes it to
pass that one city may eclipse in beauty and
growth another whose age and advantages are
no greater than its own. Why one pushes on
| IN It's development and holds its pre-eminence.
and another falls back, is due in the last
analysis to this self-san,e public spirit. It was
the energetic temper of its people, the sagacity
and push OF its leaders that made Chicago the
city that it is. Characteristic, too, of its in
domltable enterprise is the effort now being
MADE by It's merchants to open direct trade
with South America. and via the lakes with
England So: too it was the pluck and high
purpose of the men who settled Kansas and
wrested her from the slave power, which coyet-
ed and undertook to seize her rich domain for
slavery's extension, that secured for that State
her leading position and rapid development
Her good faith with all bondholders, her exhib-
1t OF home resources at the centen NAL EXPOSE
t1on, are particulars in which not only her public
worthy of thought by the citizens of Mime
sofa.
There was time when the cities of Norwich,
Conn.,. and Worcester, Mass, were about equal
IN population, and it an open question for
a while which was to be the larger and more
prosperous place. But the energy aud cordial
cooperation OF the citizens of the latter the
pubic spirit OF It's leading men, the encourage
ment they secured for every variety of indus
trial enterprise, obtained for her the leadership
which she has ever since held. Apathy on the
part OF the wealthy denizens of Norwich, the
investment OF their capital in other States and
distant corporations, left her to a second rate
position among the commercial and manu-
featuring cities of the East. Right here should
be mentioned one Of the influences which mill
tates against public spirit in our city. It is
that which arises from seemingly divided inter-
ests among our citizens. This is to be expected
In population as heterogeneous as that of St.
Paul. For where the residents are of one ma
tlonallty, homogeneous In their makeup, it is
natua1al that there should be greater concord
ance OF feeling and conviction respecting civic
and industrial questions. All. Lowelis resi-
dents work together for the upbuilding and de-
yelopment of her manufacturing intrests.
Every lawyer, real estate agent and tradesman
recognizes that in doing that he is advancing
his own interests. Here, however, there is
more or less diversity of sentiment, and less
agreement In promoting the general upbuild-
ing of the city. 1t is not at all strange that
this should be SO, for here we have Berlin
Stockholm. Paris and Dublin. as well as New
York and Boston represented, and the habits of
thought and business are not the same in these
great centers. 1t falls therefore to the press,
the board OF trade and leading citizens, to fos-
ter spirit which shall dominate over race,
pre-. udices clannishness, and to establish
the TACT that we cannot grow as city except
all agree to unite in advancing whatever tends
and N sri hat mi w In
pooling our issues as citizens. to adopt po-
htlcal phrase, can we grow in thrift and num-
bers. The first condition of public spirit
In our circumstances is cordial cooperation in
matters OF CIVIC improvement and industrial
enterprise. Our late State fair ought to prove
a revelation to us to what e local esprit dH
corps can affect, when as citizens and business
men, we rouse ourselves and cooperate hearth
ly In pubic enterprise such this was. If
we are twitted here for being dead and buried
1T Is gratifying, to say the least to exhibit a
corpse more animated than are most living be-
lngs, more knowing, too, than most bodies who
fancy all defunct but themselves. Every
mans personal prosperity is most surely pro-
noted when the city in whish he resides pros
pers. Therefore 1t is for his interest to live
and work, not only for his own business or
hrm, but for the common veal of all CONNER
clal and industrial corporations in the place.
CIVIC PRosPER1TY-wHAT IS IT.
If we all agreed to what this involved,
there would be far more readiness on the part
of all to realize it. 1t was a maxim of
Aristotle shat the end of the State is not
merely to live, but to live nobly." This ap-
plies with great force to this city. The ele-
ments Of civic we'll being are found in the So
briefly, the good order, and the industry of it's
citizens; in the honesty and capacity of its
officials; IN the wisdom and largeness of the
ideas OF those administering the municipal and
RI !, 81 ,,,t1
OF late prevailed to whether we can main
tain popular democratic government in our
cities, Tor the reason that it seems we'll nigh
impossible to secure honest and capable Off
Gals, and because the citizens are SO easily
made the dupes Of political dcmagogues, or
are swayed by partisan feeling into the sup
port of Enthusiastically men and bad measures
This has convinced thoughtful persons of all
parties that municipal elections ought to be
divorced from State and national elections
We ought not to hold to elsewhere needful
political alliances in our action as citizens The
ques tlons which separate us into parties when
voting for State and national officers, seldom
cone Into the local issues of d city. The great
est advance towards the solution of municipal
government will be made, when we can divide
up as citizens on the questions which concern
really the city IS veal. 1t ought not to be a
contest for the election of Democrat or Repub-
iIcan; but rather a contest for the choice of
whether TT ey are Republicans Or Democrats
There is no more reason for managing municipal
than mercantile affairs with reference to party
politics. Good men-men ready to live and
die for an idea enthusiasts for honor and
righteousness, they are the city's strength and
salvation. But corrupt men, who make up the
rings which have cursed our cities. East and
West, and made municipal government a
sham and a shame, they defeat all civic growth
and thrift. What American city is there to-
day, that has not the consciousness of having
been victimized by certain ciques or political
rings, who pushed through It's council some
fraudulent measure and thereby swindled the
people, while they enriched themselves. True
prosperity never can come to a community in
different as to who rule it. If the
saloons OF the city to dictate
who shall be put into nomination and par
tlsan feelings are to prevent men combining
to secure good and honest officers, there is no
hope OF municipal reform in this country
Already have we been called by careful critics,
"a nation of learned minds, but weak con
sciences Thoughtful and liberal minded men,
who desire the city's growth lament the multi
plication of drinking places ST. Paul, during
one year paid out, according to the public re-
turns, S990000 for whisky, and $4,000 for
bread. 1t is not difficult, with this tor the
showing here, to believe the terrible fact shat
as a nation we drink ourselves out of the value
OF the country. real estate and personal prop
erty included. every twenty years. This is a.
question not OF morals alone but of political
economy. We cannot prosper a community,
with dram-shops and saloons producing de-
moralization poverty and crime. Sobriety and
industry are sources of popular thrift.
The wage class in this land and Great Britain
are by their drinking habits impoverished and
through the discomfort which results, are the
victims of the political tramps and dema-
gosues that preach communism and its pesti-
lent theories to them. Soon ensues the loss of
vital and moral spirit out of citizenship.
The prosperity Of city is found in the in
dustry and self-control of its citizens; in it's
schools, Libraries, or-whatever ministers to in
tellectuaI and moral life; in business honestly