New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-28
iIps AND CHECKS TO PROGRESS.

10 NV'EN'AN'
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II avs despot had undertaken to organize the
brsinsss Of TINS continent. be would have begun by
selecting for his headquarters point where a1Van-
tres fsr direct dealing with all parts of 1t
combined with advantages for direct dealing with
all paris of Europe. He would then have established
a series Of great aud small trading posts, detcrmln-
inc their positions bv regard, first the local re-
sources Of various parts OF the country and secondly
10 facilities of transportation. Each of these would
be an agency OF exchange for district. bur- the
era districts being strictly defined there would,
a. trade developed and individual enterprise came
more and more into play. be much competition be-
tween different agencies and by greater economy of
management one would ofteu draw away trade from
and prosper TO the disadvantage Of another But ex
ceptiu limited and superficial way, abnormal 20 the
system the interests OF the central and Of the local
agencies would be identical and the relation between
them not one OF rivalry but OF cooperative and re-
curocal service The business Of the general agency
would be proportionate to the business OF the conn
tryit~ local profits % the profits of trade generally.
Whatever IL gained wonld as a rule be gam TO
every community on the continent
The general agency would. unless special obsta-
clas intsrposed soon 70 be the best place for
comparing. testing, appraising and Interchangng
information and ideas all concerns common 10
the New World and the Old. 1t would therefore
take the foremost place in affairs of fashion and
luxury Ii would be the headquarters of dramatic
AID musical enterprises. 1t would be centre Of
interest matters Of science and art 1t would be
tie reaGiest point for making collections and for
comparing and testing values for great variety Of
affairs not usually classed commercial. All this
would cause people to resort 10 II, either as oc-
casiOnal visitors with view to residence more
Than 10 any other place on the continent. 1t would
c. Hi.rna h1 1ff- in
crafts of Refinement. IL would be the best shop
ping place. As the Of the continent were
more aud more fully exploited. il would thus tend
e. become a metropolis. Special advantages of
climate, topography or Of personal leadership and
particular enterprise might give local agency
leadershipln particular field; but the tendency
as a matter of continental economy. 20 concentrate
leadership general social leadership. al the
trade centre, could be permanently overcome only By
local conditions which would make life IN IL de-
cdedly less secure, healthy. peaceful, cleanIy and
economical than elsewhere Considerable natural
disadvantages in this respect. even. might be grad
ually Overc me.
The Great Peter of Russia and his successors in
fact, proceeded much in this way when mas been
supposed. The position which be selected LOT
general centre of exchange Tor Eastern Eurolr anu
Western ASIA was III many respects unpromlslnS
the haTbOT shallow and nearly nall the year Cioseg
By ice. the land marshy and malarious natural
scenery tame and sad. and the climate most IN
clement. Nevertheless 1t. Petersburg has been
Inade not only the centre of commercial exchanges,
bur the chef seat Of learning science and art and
~ ali in+eiIactual and social activities. for a
population of more varied and antagonistic races
oFeeds. tastes aud customs than that 81 America
COMMERCIAL POSITION OF NEwYORK.
New-York has long been the general centre Of
commercial exchanges for the continent There Is
not the least likelihood that any other CITY Will
supercede II. Even If any other had somewhat
superior local advantages for the purpose II Is not
desirable IN the general interests Of commerce at
81 cha he made.
Of the rearrangement would be too great Such
transfer Of particular branches of business 10 other
craving towns as now occurs, IL simply a modih-
catlon of commercial organization by which the
mutual business of New-York and the country at
large is 10 be done with ore profit on the whole to
both. ST. Louis. Cincinnati and Chicago are In
rivalry with one another but never except In
temporary and superficial way, with New-1ork.
Boston Philadelphia and Baltimore are more
plainly m competition with New-NOrki yet IN the
main they likewise so far cooperate wl5h her that
New-York gains more than she loses by every ad-
vance that Is made BY either of them A.
But New-YOrk is vet hardly ready 10 assume Vhe
full duty and take the full profits OF metropolis
In some respects Boston leads New ork fhiI;tdeI-
pha m others; IN still others Cincinnati at least
aims to do SO. And IN many respects New OK j.
not "a vet nearly well equipped as many ci'ios Vi
Europe of less than half her population anu com
mercia prosperity Treasures OF ART and the TesEits
of popular familiarity with treasures OF art must
be gained SLOWLY and New-IOrk can III i9ng tifne
only nartgllV overcome ITS lneNtADlr niSauN'il-
tages in tins respect Yet as TO tne Llshor results
OF human labor ia general attractiveness 70 cuiu
waited minds and "a place OF luxury, Newt ork hts
probably been gaining OF late, even curing 'ne niio
times, more RAPIDLY than any Oinef Guy IN tuc
world. She has gained. for instance, '.e NI,uIa ,
History Museum. the Art Museum the Le11A
Iibrarv the Cathedral. the railways 10 and the
great plant for healthfu recreation AZ Coney is!ah
She is decidedly richer and more attractive III iiDta
Tes. churches. clubs and hOteis. me uispa3 Va ~
shops il very greatly finer than ~ was q Few yeaIs
ago shops more attractive IN general eurct are now
hardly 10 be found in any olcer CITY, UIeat S"-
vsnces have been made also by half dozen Oh heI
business concerns which are all large employers or
the finer artisans and srti1cers WOOD carvers.
workers IN metal, enames, glass anu pIeciJJus
stones decorative painters. Better NOi huiu'sn-Y
am rnvr lie had here IN almost anything than was
available five years ago. Take pottery, "oou-sn-
craving, upholstery. gas-hXtnres, IutiIluS, ~
example in all these we could now make pettel
SNOW than we did in the Centennial Exhibtion'
Nlthout doubt that exhibition did much Tor New
York possibly moro than for Philaeelpbla III Is,
=. iss,F certsin that New-York has since had better
vofkm,n. better designers better tools ana hiote
highly educated market aud ali Ties. thugs nave
distinctly advanced her melropoii'An P0'''''
UNFORTUNATE PLAN OF THE CITY.
Ne,t ~ the direct results of slipshod. temporiz
ipg government OF amateurs. the great disadyan-
tsge under which New-York labors Is one growing
ont Of the sens.less manner in which It's streets
have been laid out. No city is more unfortunately
MANNED with reference 90 metropolitan attractive
hess True /; may be said that large parts of many
cid wora cities have not been Planned al nll. but
their accidental defects are compensated by their
accidental advantages. The tenement-house. which
is the product Of the uniform 2O0-fee-wide blocks
IL beginning to bo recognized as the primary cause
Of whatever is peculiarly disgraceful In New-iork
City politics. through the Generalization which II
works ia the more incapable class OF workingpeopie.
Ii calamity more to be deplored than the yellow
fever at New-Orleans. because more impreenaole;