St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-19


better If they were united. l can see no
reason If the two cities work in har-
mOny and assist one another but what
= the growth would be rapidly increased,
the transportation much less, and the
general facilities better in every re-
Spect.
Capt. c. B. Tirrell-This talk about
uniting the two cities is all bosh; it
won't amount to anything. Nobody
wants to see the two cities united, for
they would never get along together, for
what suits us here in Minneapolis would
never suit the st. Paul people. Mime
apOllS is genuine Yankee town, while
IN st. Paul the foreign element predOm-
mates. The business centerS in both
towns are now established and will
never be changed, and if union was
effected IL would never be more than a
union In name, and there would be a
constant fight between the two business
centers in regard to city improvements.
B. F. Nelson-I can clearly see how
the cities would gain if they were united
on an equal basis. But st. Paul has al
ready the state capital, with fair pros
poets of the United States supreme
court, and this would leave Minneap-
oils in the lurch and st. Paul the chief
place of attraction. Another great
drawback is that the taxation in ST.
Paul is far different from that in Min
neapolis. The time is not far away be-
fore they will grow together, and then
will be time for the cities to consolidate
under the same government.
Judge Won Schlegel-1 never sup
posed that anything more than idle talk
considerably surprised when | beard
the board of trade had appointed a
committee, to GO to st. Paul to confer
with like committee, appointed from
the chamber of commerce of that
city, in regard to the union of the two
cities. l believe it consolidation
ever should take place, that it
would be a misfortune. for the
two communities are as dissimilar as
New York and San Francisco. st. Paul
is cosmopolitan, while Minneapolis is
essentially New England town, and
while they get along very we'll as neigh
bors, | am sure under one city govern
ment there would be considerable fric-
ton. There is a wide difference in our
form of municipal government, in our
manner of doing business and in the
ambitions of our leading men, and there
would be just as much jealousy be-
tween the two business centerS as there
is now between the two cities. l con-
slider the whole scheme sheer nonsense.
K. l.. Stillman was found in his office
and appeared to be very busy, but when
asked as to his opinion he Opeued up in
very enthusiastic way and said: 1T
would be detrimental to Minneapolis to
enter into any such scheme and put ST.
Paul on an equal footing. The Flour
City has the control of manufactures in
the Northwest, and there is no reason
why it should not improve and increase
in population as rapidly as she has for
the past few years."
j. j. Ankeny-I think it would be a
great benefit to the business community
il they could consolidate and act in
harmony. l will be one to vote to unite
the two cities, providing they will call
the city Minneapolis. In my opinion
the day is far distant when they will be
under the same government.
A. L. Ankeny-In the winter of 1882
published in the Pioneer Press an
article purpOrting to give a birds-eye
view of the cities of Minneapolis and
st. Paul ten years later, or in 1892. The
two cities had then grown together with
a joint population of over half a mill
ion and the union had then come. While
only about One-half of the time has
passed away the growth of the cities in
character population and wealth has
more than kept pace with the prediction,
and now that the public mind is
moving on the question of union 1
wouldn't be surprised to see the mani
fest destiny, like the leaven in the
lump, work out the full accomplish
ments. Reasons against the union?
There are practically none. Minneapo-
lis once united with st. Anthony, and
there was no trouble in doing it. The
city of Philadelphia now comprises the
entire county, swallowing up dozen
municipalities. Her system of govern
ment to-day is no more complex than
was that of any one of the dozen before.
Reasons in favor oft it? They bristle
at every point. Chief among these is
the concentrated power it would give.
We are favOrably situated at the head
of the Mississippi river. in the center of
a vast empire of the great Northwest,
and in the belt of the grain-prOducing
center of the world The great cities Of
upon ones fingers. Unite the two,
and we stand at once with only
New York, Brooklyn, Philadelphia and
Chicago ahead of us. Master enterprises
like the Sault Ste. Marie railway will, in
short time, if united, place it beyond
Brooklyn and Chicago. The race of
cities is to the vigilant, the active and
the brave, and the citizen who can con-
tribute in even the smallest degree to
place the dual city OH its proper throne
will deserve we'll of his country, and
will not have lived in vain. We now
feel the ground swell. In few short
years 1t will lift us high and dry to our
appointed place.
j. B. BaSsett-lt is my opinion that
the rivalry between these two cities has
had remarkable effect upon the rapid
growth of the two cities during the past
few years. There is no doubt but what
the increase will still continue pro rata
providing they are not united. The
customs of the people in st. Paul are
entirely different from the ideas of the
Minneapolis people.
Judge Atwater-The question in
wolves so many things and is not prac-
tical. / do not wish to talk on the sub
ject.
John F. Peterson, Register of Deeds
We don't want the two cities united.
We are better off to have two city gov
ernments as present, for what suits
the people of st. Paul would never suit
US. There is as much difference be-
tween the people comprising the two
cities as there is between the people in
the North and the South, and they
would not agree very we'll under one
city government. but would be eternally
fighting. l cannot see what advantage
there would be in having them united.
don't think any citizen of Minneapolis
favOrS the scheme.
Samuel Goodnow-It is not worth
talking about. A union of the two cit
les will never take place. They would
be two separate cities in everything but
name, even if such thing as a consoli-
dation should take place. but it will
never happen. The men who are work
ing it up have probably nothing else to
do than to talk up such an impractical
bic scheme.
Judge Henry G. Hicks-T do not see