The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-05
Capitals.

Our esteemed contemporary. the Chicago
Tribune. is stirred as to Its hillary ducts
by these entirely sound and truthful remarks
lately made by THE Sun:
"Ths DuUy N.ps Londou) refers to this city as the
riva Of chicago It might we'll refer to any second
class English city the rival OF London. or ANY second
clns, French city Ne the rival Of Paris New York
stands peerless among the cities Of the United States
Our esteemed contemporary proceeds TO
show by adding figures Of its own invention
to the lalacous figures manufactured by
Mr.. ROBERT p. PoRTEH's Bureau Of Nincom-
poops that the present population OF Chicago
Is only $4,000 less than that Ut this town,
and AYERS cxultlngly that New York must
annex Brooklyn before 1900 or yield the first
place TO her Western peer Certainly
Brooklyn should belong 10 the same system
Of municipal administration as the town OF
whose prosperity aud greatness it is part;
but even without Brooklyn and the towns
in Long Island ard Westminster which are
legitimately included within the Greater
New York this city is still the capital and
the one city Of the United States. Thriving
and populous as are the towns which will
one day be included in that capital. they are
only the overflow and surplus Of its energy
Here on this island is the one place which
possesses the true metropolitan character
stics. II Is not merely the centre OF the
finance. the commerce, the industry, and
the trade OF the country. but in the variety
and sp!endor OF its means Of amusement it
can be compared ouly with cities like
Paris and London. Many Americans and
foreigners visit Chicago Oh business or from
curiosity to see Il town which has grown so
marvellously. The activity, the enterprise.
and the public spirit and civic self-conscious-
ness Of the Chicago people are admirable /;
but for amusement the Western world comes
here. Chicago is big, but it is not capital.
1t is making praiseworthy attempts to I'M
prove its attractions. but 1t has much 10
| learn in the art vi making comfortable the
stranger within its gates. 1t throws itself
into pleasure with the same feverish ac-
| tvity it displays in business, but it has not
yet learned the art Of civilized lie.
II is not population merely that makes a
capithl. Brooklyn. for instance, though u
good-sized place, has no characteristics of a
| capital. Chicago has more. but still few.
| New York il not only the nucleus Of a vast,
thickly populated district, but it is the ar
tis,ic, the Intellectual. the social as well as
| the commercial centre OF the country. Fec.
| pie come here to spend money as well rs to
| make money; and in the multiplicity OF its
| interests and activities, its convenienceS for
refined social intercourse. and the pleas
ures and e!egances OF life. it is be-
| yond rivalry among the many American
cities. The greatest or the most In.
| teresting OF these IS only village
| In comparison with it. The extraordinary
anxiety which the Chicago people display in
regard to the progress OF their tom is only a
| proof that 1t is still on the village scale. A
capital is too big, too diversified in Its inter-
ests. and too well amused to lie excited
easily about itself. 1t adds few hundred
thousand to its population and they are not
noticed. 1t entertalns every day hundred
or hundred and fifty thousand visitors.
and there is always room for them. 1t does
vast deal Of business without friction
| it gets and gives vast deal OF enjoyment,
and never bothers its head about the opinions
| OF the rest Of the world.