The weekly tribune., 1892-03-19
THE GROW OF CITIES.

The American people have come to be
regarded by the people of other nations
as the very embodiment of enterprise
and energy. The history of that people
has been a story of push and daring dis
tinguishing them from all Others. They
have conquered nature and made the
rose blossom IL the desert. 1t is in the
history Of western cities that these
characteristic American traits have been
most prominently exhibited. The
phenomenal growth Of Chicago, of Min
neapolis. of Denver and of IA dozen other
cities has shown to the world what the
American car do through his indomit-
able pluck and perseverance. Yet the
growth of these cities is not wholly
phenomenal The law Of natural selcc-
ton has been an efficient cause in de
termining the lines of development Of
cities as well DIS of organisms. Founded
AS they are 10y the most energetic and
entcrprising people of eastern cities they
could do nothing but thrive and prosper
~
Great Falls is but another example of
the characteristic enterprises, Of the
American people. The city sprang up
from the prairie almost in day. yet
there is II othirg of the mushroom char
actcr about Great Falls everything is
solid and substantial. Her citizens are
energetic, ambitious. and keenly alive to
the interests Of the city. They know
ncr resources and have abundant faith |
10 her future.
But in the building of cities as in the
plan Of salvation faith alone is not suf-
ticicnt. 1t must be borne out 10y works
Denver. Minneapolis, and Seattle were
not built by simple faith in their future
It was the active interest, the energetic
work Of their citizens that made them
spread and grow And if Great Falls is
10 become the great city that we in our
faith have pictured her to become it can
he only through hard work on the part |
- her citizens,
n"
Great Falls has more than her share
of,energy and enterprise. She is partic-
ularly blessed in that respect But un-
fortunately the people of Great Falls
have had So II uch done for them by out
side influences and outside interests that
large proportion of her business men
have become content to sit down with
folded hands and wait for the next sur
prise Their energies have become
weakened and their enterprise lessened.
They have come to believe that Great
Falls is bound to grow whether they
help 1t or not, and are content to let
others do the work for them.
~
That is no; tne way cities are built If
Great Fails is ever to be the great
metropolis we all believe she will be,
every citizen must contribute his fair
share Of money and energy towards
building it up The citizens OF Great
Falls are not niggardly where money is
concerned. but when 1t comes to that
active interest and work which more
than anything else brings city to the
front rank they are wofully lacking. And
nowhere is this lack more painfully evi-
dent than iu the meetings of the board
of trade. Week after week the meetings
of the board have been marked by the
absence OF men whose interests are
wholly bound up in Great Falls and
whose hopes rest in her future 1t can
not be ascribed to lack OF interest. 1t is
simply selfishness; that selfishness which
let's others do the work while they rea p
the benefits.