The record-union., 1893-06-15

need to be educated to a condition of pub
lie sp1ritedness by the exercise of public
spirit. II the fair at Chicago shall prove
q financial failure, the efforts TO hold 1t
tnere, when contemplated from the stand
point or its effects upon the Character Of
the community, will Be vastly profitable.
II Is far better to have made an effort IN
the direction of some public enterprise
promising good and fail than not to have
made the effort at all. No failure can
measure the injury to the character of
any community for public spirit like the
constant refusal to embark in public
spirited enterprises. All the enterprises
which have languished in this city may
charge upon the absence of public-spirited
undertakings for many years the indIt-
ference with which their appeals have
been met. Every community needs
training also in the direction Of acting to-
gether tremendously for the public good.
Go TO any city which has presented
phenomenal growth within the last few
years, and whatever of social embitter-
mentS may exist within that community
you will find that the entire municipality
is a unit when questions affecting the
growth and prosperity of the city are
under consideration. If there is COM
munity anywhere in our great country
which has lacked coherency it is our own
beautiful State of California. The longer
we delay the inauguration of public un-
dertakingS the more this spirit of discord
and inharmony which so oOStructs every
public-spirited movement will intensity.
1t grows and intensifeS by the absence
of undertakings which have natural
tendency to bring the individuals of
community into harmonious relation.
Every such undertaking brings into play
personal antagonisms, and it is the part
OF the highest patriotism to forego these
antagonisms for the public good. Let the
proposition intlict a clear loss of half
million of dollars to this community, and
If it serves to disclose to itself the great
latent power for public enterprise which
exists here, it will be worth many mill
lions to its future. No great undertaking
now on foot III this city has anything to
lose by intoxicating a greater spnit OF
unity of purpose and action than now
exists here. The inertia and Indifference
which public enterprises have encOun-
tered are referable TO community charac-
ter, and instead of discouraging public
spirited undertakings as inimical to the
success of those already undertaken. we
need more of them instead of fewer.
Public character is formed by the same
lessons which have value in the forma-
ton of private character. Enterprising
character in the individual is formed by
eSsaying difficult undertakings. Failure
leads to success if failure leaves in the
IuIDd VI nALll W 10 IdS ldlItOl Il HOI Oe-
termination, broader information and
an established character for enterprise.
HOW THE MATTER APPEALS TO THE
CITIZEN.
The assessment roll of San Francisco
alone shows an aggregate value of $780,
900, 1000. 1t is well known that the actual
value of property concentrated here is
$500, O00,0 900. Assuming that it is $500, O00.-
600, a contribution of s500.00 would be
L. 2 -, 4, = T.. i Al:
appeal to the individual citizen who feels
the paralysis of an unenterprisiug spirit
gaining stronger control of the COM
munity in which he lives? One dollar
out of every 81 900 of his property, if it
will produce and awaken an enterprising
spirit, if 1t will produce a character for
community action, leaves him 1899 to be
affected by the advent of a more enter
prising spirit. Why should the individual
with 5000 of value hesitate to pay So of
his worldly possessions if there is a rea-
sonable assurance that the S4,995 still re-
naming to him is to be under the intlu-
ence OF the accommodating force OF more
enterprising public spirit?
WHY MEN SHOULD AID PUBLIC-sPIRITED
ENTERPRISES.
Take the individual with 81 .0OO, 900;
after he has paid the y, 900 of assessment
this proposition calls for, he would still
better spirit of growth and expansion
had been inculcated. Who under such
circumstances should hesitate to expend
81 900 in an effort fraught with the prom
Use Of so much good to the community.
even though the differences were III favor
of the chances OF failure. / confess these
considerations have more weight with me
than the mere prospect of getting a dollar
back for every dollar in a thousand eX-
pended.
CULTIVATING ENTERPRISING SPIRIT.
We have within the boundaries of the
State of California the resources of a vast
empire of wealth. Whether these re-
sources shall attract population COM
mensurate with their own magnitude
will depend upon the character of the
people inhabiting the State; l mean their
character for enterprise and for energy,
and that is character which must be
cultivated, directed and formed in its ag-
gregate way just as the character Of a
young man must be nodded. Let those
who say that promising public under
taking ought not to be attempted because
it may fail, remember that it has already
failed if not undertaken, and with its fail
ure has carried down the capacity of our
people to make other public enterprises
successful.
Speech of Hon. John u. Irish.
Other cities are getting local benefit
from the Columbian Fair and San Fran
cisco, with her latent spirit of enterprise.
needs only to know the way and she will
get her share of the good which comes of
turning the worlds face to America.
The city of st. Louis has raised ST.
100000 TO spend in advertising her enter
prises and in entertaining as guests OF her
people such persons attracted from abroad
by the fair as will repay this polite atten-
tinn nv NOTING and talliDcr tho Stc,.x- 6 4l,o
old fur and peltry post, grown into one
OF the most interesting of American
cities.
New York City has offered her winds
and waters to the great naval parades, at
tended by the armed ships Of every ma
ton that maintains war marine, and
out of her generous purse has enter
tanned on shore the officers of all these
navies.
SPECIAL NEEDS.
San Francisco is city far from the seat
of these enterprising attempts, and |
recognize and acknowledge the genius
which conceived a plan whereby time
and distance, longitude and isolation
may be conquered and her share of the
benefit of the event be secured.
We need here some of the permanent
results which may easily follow winter
fair.
Assuming that we can secure the
marvellous Government exhibit, the
sight of which swells the heart of every
American citizen, and that the electrical
exhibit will come to show all the won
ders that come down out of the clouds on
Franklin's kite string and that around
these will gather other novel Eexhibits,
the transfer OF which is guaranteed, we
have at hand the means of creating some
permanent results of lasting educational
value to all of our people. L take pleas
ure in showing to Eastern friends our
AcaGmy of Sciences and the many rare
things in the Pioneer building. But