St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-31

As the old year is being laid in the
Westminster of Time to sleep forever
by the side of its royal ancestors, and
we peer into the cradle of its newborn
successor, it is but natural that we
should both retrospect and forecast in
the confident hope that better things
will arise ahead of US, and that the en-
rors of the past will in measure be our
profit in the future. Not as individuals
alone, but as a community should we
indulge in this retrosp Action and fore
casting, for in a sense the general veal
Is of paramount Importance to indiyid-
ual prosperity.
Here in st. Paul we can now see
much clearer than we have heretofore
seen some OF the errors that have been
committed in our municipal develop
ment during the past year; and the mis-
takes we have made, which are now so
apparent, should be a measure of profit
TO Us in making up the record of 1870.
In the various departments of munich
pal life and metropolitan growth of the
gear just expiring, we find so many
things that can be improved upon in
the future that to mention them all and
discuss them in detail would be beyond
the limits Of Il newspaper article.
We ask attention, however. to one
matter from among the many which, in
pur estimation, merits some cOnsidera-
ton. We refer to next years building
record. Yet in doing this we are not
making complaint of last years record
Twenty-Five millions of dollars expe1d-
ed in one season in young city like
ouls is a record TO be proud of, and
especially so where it has gone into
buildings of a most enduring and Orna-
mental character. We hope to see that
amount duplicated the coming season.
and even more. But we do suggest
thai. while IN the future we might not
build better than we have done, we
might build wiser. 1t is common be-
lief among those best posted in st. Paul
business affairs, and who are most
hopeful Of the city's business outlook,
that we have overdOne it this season in
the way of building offices and tenement
houses. They are so plentiful it is be-
coming serious question with the own
ers to know who is g ing to fill them,
and q still more serious question
with the people at large to
know how the influx of popu-
Iation necessary to fill them all is to
supported. In plain English, instead
of spending so much money to shelter
newcomers, wouldn't it be better in
making up next years record to spend
a part of that money in establishing
manufacturing plants or other indus
tries. to give the newcomers steady and
profitable employment? We are no
alarmst, nor are we writing in the
spirit of one, yet we do wish to impress
upon the people of this city the i'm
mediate necessity for a reconstruction
Of our ideas Of metropolitan growth and
railway interests rest upon an enduring
foundation. We have no fears that
they will be undermined or shall fall
into a decay. st. Paul is. and will al
ways be, the banking, commercial and
railway center of the Northwest.
Nature has deereed it, and her laws
can not be broken. Our future develop
ment in that direction will take
care of itself without special eff
fort on our part. We can afford
to trust to the expanding commercial
necessities of the Northwest for an ex,
tension of our commercial and railway
interests. But, as prosperous as these
several interests may be, we cannot
ignore the fact that we need to diversity
our local industries if we wish to keep
our position in the van of the march OF
progress. If season of depression in
one line of industry comes, we must be
prepared with something else to fall
back on. The people who are here ana
the people who are coming every year
must be provided with employment. In
the language of Mr.. CLEVELAND, it is a
condition and not theory that con-
fronts us, and we cannot realize the
situation any too soon for our own
good. 1t is in multitude of counsel
ors that we find wisdom, so we urge
upon all the citizens of this city to pu
their heaCs together, and with the be.
ginning of the new year to work out tn,
problem that is to determine the future
destiny Of this city.