St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-04


Minneapolis gravitated reasonably in the di-
rection of manufacturing. and her capital has
chiefly been invested IN that direction,
even though the competition of steam with
the power of the fails became neces-
sary. Beng the older city. the capital
of the state and naturally the first business
center, the energy and money of st. Paul
were turned toward banking and trading,
and the supremacy it attained in those
valuable channels has never been wreSted
from it. Those differences in the cities
expenditure of energy will largely account
for the difference in the character and ma
tiOnality of their respective populations.
but this difference, very marked two or
three years ago. is being rapidly Obiiterated
by constant changes. As for instance: st.
Paul has turned her attention to
the advantages accruing from man
featuring and is now reaping the
benefits of having secured number of
valuable plants. Minneapolis has received
a new invoice of jObbers and her increased
trade is ramifying the entire Northwest.
SO. also, has her banking business steadily
increased. reducing the difference TO almost
nothing. Ii the progression be continued
for only few years, it will be difficult for
either city to point TO superiority in the
other of the points named, though doubt
less by that time each VII have opened out
some new line along which it will be work.
ing toward supremacy. And invested cap
ital is all the time receiving at least a
legitimate return.
But how about labor?
Here there is no distinction between the
cities. and what is said of one will be
equally and fairly applicable to the other.
In common with every new and growing
vicinity. the working classes have Jared
well, and are in much better condition than
large cities usually show. This is particu-
larly true of those branches of labor not
known as skilled. and in which poverty is
most apparent. the wages being lower. as
rule in proportion to the cost of living.
These cities have paid no fancy prices for
labor-it may be claimed not even
living prices by some-but the rate
has been above the average, with
other circumstances in favor of the EN-
ployed. The general condition of the la
boring claSes. however, is largely dependent
on other elements than wages and those
elements are mere favOrably furnished.
The assertion is boldly ventured that i'll no
cities in the world does so large proper
ton of the wage-earnerS own their own
homes, aid in no city in the world is prop.
erty purchaSable on terms better within the
reach of this class. Owning their own
homes and imbued with the pride of pro-
prietorship; with the absence of the tene-
ment house system nSeparable from
most cities; devoid of metropolitan
sQualor and its accompanying vice, the
general situation of the Northwestern
breadwinner is far above that of his fellows
in the country at large.
1t must not be understood that this is
Beulah Land for the mechanic.
If there is any one thing the Northwest
would sedulously avoid, it is the over
crowding of the labor market. 1t would be
foOishly cruel to invite labor beyond the
legitimate demand for it. and it is now
matter of congra tulation that in spite of
the influx of mechanics of all lines, the
building and improving operations have been
so steady and uniform as to have kept pace
with the labor community and prevented
that direst of social misfortunes-an over
stocked labor market. The Northwest only
invites labor to meet the demand, and to an
overplus points to the millions of unbroken
acres to the westward. We would not have
more unemployed men On our hands, and
they cannot all go into the real estate busi-
ness,
What business that has been.
How much it has done for the Twins.
No NorthweSterner but will realize
all that is meant by a boom. The