New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-21
NORTHEASTERN VISION.

Tho twin cities of Minnesota have right
N he proud of the interest which the country
takes in their affairs. The general supposition
that tbev have been engaged in valorous and
bloody war during the entire period OF their
existence is now being rapidly suppanted by
the conviction that they are about to embrace,
amalgamate and cOalesce. There is much tax
about manifest destiny phrase often found OIL
great convenience in establishing proposition
when arguments are scarce The assumption
is that, propelled by the force of circumstances
they are rushing into each others arms, ana we
haven't doubt that thousands OF persons fancy
that even now they are separated only DN ah
imaginary line, so that pedestrian drunk
enough to stagger may lurch back and iorth
between them all the afternoon without giving
q policeman a chance to arrest him IN elther
town. The fact is that number OF miles OF
prairie, which, if not virgin is at least spihster
separate their outskirts. We are aware that
there is thin line of settlements Struggling
along the connecting highway, but that Is ALL
Neither law nor longing could make the two
hearts of these cities beat as one, even sup
nosing that their souls were animated by
single thought, which is far from being the
case.
We note with interest that the street-car king
of Minneapolis and st. Paul takes the manifest
DESTINY side of the question but the astute ana
sanguine Mr. Lowry, it must be remembered
is debarred from assuming an absolutely dlSin-
torested attitude On the contrary he relolces
in the conviction that wherever his electric rail-
roads run men, women and children are bound
IN non lid out Of the earth like asparagus, and
NJ, ,.c a
called a calm and philosophical view OF the
situation The fact is that Minneapolis is grow
ing away from more rapidly than toward st.
Paul. At the present moment diagram OF the
two cities would present the outlines of dumb
hell with an exceedingly attenuated handle, and
il will be an con or two before they acquire the
rotund confguratOn of a watermelon. Under
Mr. Lowry's fostering care the dumbbell handle
will grow thicker year by year, we hope and
believe, and very likely develop tendency to
become dubious here and there. But assertions
that 20 further than this put an uncomfortable
tax on sober mans creduity.
But If just the opposite were true, If popua-
ton were breaking out like heat rash all over
the intervening space, there would still remain
an insuperable obstacle to consolidation When
St. Paul and Minneapolis had run together like
two globules of mercury what could the result
ing entity be called A man without country
has been imagined but a city without name
is unthinkable. 1t is an insult to the honor and
intelligence Of both to assume that either would
surrender its own appellation. If it were pos
sible to merge the two names so that both
should enjoy the distinction of supplying the
first syllable of the compound there would be
little difficulty in accomplishing the rest. But
until perpetual motion has been produced, and
the circle squared, and the hotel with nothing
but front corner rooms built. it will be a waste
of time to talk about giving two persons, places,
things or symbols preference oyer each other
at one and the same time.
1t has been suggested that the problem might
be solved by giving precedence to one of the
existing names and emphasis to the other BY
way Of intellectual diversion we have made
several combinations of this sort, and we must
confess that with one of them we are reason
ably well satisfied Santapolis would not be a
bad name for city which, to speak after the
manner of the vulgar, was stuck on itself and
felt that it was commissioned TO regenerate the
universe. 1t has, to be sure, the disadvantage
of being compounded out of two languages, but
| aside from this its merits are obvious and i'm
mense, and when the tine comes Santapolis will
be our offering to the union cause.