The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-01


follow the collapse of speculative en-
terprises, are also periods of prepara-
ton for subsequent prosperity The
pressure of hard times is the parent of
tress have also been years of saving,
and, consequently, of the accumulation
of capital. There is an abundance of
wealth beyond precedent in this coun-
try today. Capital, that has been shun-
ming investment out of the unreasoning
terror attached to our seven years Of
famine, wants employment. 1t is en-
couraged by the belief in better times,
and it will be just as eager to rush in
and occupy new fields as it ever was.
The country knows that there will
be no disturbance of business condi-
tons for several years to come. The
tariff question, though abominably
dealt with, is out of the way, at least
for a little while. The agitation for
free silver is SO obviously on the wane
that investors will not be affrighted in
the near future. The growth Of our
export trade, and especially the situa-
ton at the present time, with the whole
world bidding for our food supplies,
seems to promise new era of good
times for the farmer. If the producers
of the country are enabled to buy free
ly, as seems now to be assured, all in
frin will CT d. he
bonuses offered by the new tariff,
which, although ere eating nothing but
a burden upon the consumer, must nee
essarily attract capital to the indus
tries that receive them, the prospect is
open for an increase IN the effective
demand of the people for the neces-
saries of life that must find its express
sion in more and larger factories, an
enlarged jobbing business and a gen.
eral extension of every kind of indus
try.
The practical question which every
business man of st. Paul ought to be
asking himself and his neighbor is
what preparations are we making to
secure our share of the good things
to come? We may be we'll assured that
they will not offer themselves to US in
preference to others unless we work for
them. We believe that, within few
years, the demands of the Northwest.
backed by a larger degree Of agricul-
tural prosperity, will call for largely
increased quantities Of all kinds of
more mills, more factories, more whole
sale houses, more retail establishments.
These do not grow, as population does,
by a fixed percentage year after year,
but, as our Western cities grew, by
successive periods Of intense activity
and comparative quiet. We are going
to see in these same years, of which
this is the first, an immense enlarge
ment of manufacturing and commercial
enterprises in the Northwest and espe
cially in these cities, that constitute
its natural center. Shall we get our
share? Is st. Paul to take a new start
forward and repeat the past record
that has been our proper pride?
The answer to that question depends
justly, upon ourselves. 1t will not be in
the affirmative if we wait for prosper
ity to step forward of her own volition
and crown us with an unearned sue
cess. If we sit idly around, waiting
for good times to come, wondering
when real estate will boom again and
crediting everything to the accident
of good or evil fortune, our progress
will be slight. If we go to work with
the energy and hope, the activity and
the all-conquering purpose that distin-
guished this city for the fifteen years
between 1875 and 1890, we can easily re-
peat their wonderful showing. It needs
organization. 1t needs the combined
and compact forces of all our business
institutions and business men. st. Paul
ought to be busily at work all along
the line. Every man who has the stake
of a single dollar in the future of this
city should seek out his fellows, and
plans should be made and carried out
that are to bring people here, to bring
industries here, to add to our manu-
features and our commerce, to improve
our railroad connections with the rest
of the world, to extend our business
into other territories and to make us
what we ought and hope to be-
The opportunity for which we have
waited and longed and mourned is here.
There is no time to be lost. Every Ie-
ultimate effort should be concentrated
upon the realization of possibilities that
have here been pointed out. We are
far better equipped, both In knowledge
and in practical agencies, for the work
than we were before. 1t is time and
1t is necessary that we bestir ourselves
and make again the name of st. Paul
the watchword Of progress and of
growth throughout the entire country.
Our very misfortunes can be turned
into stepping stones to success. We
call upon the spirit that has made st.
Paul what it is to rise in it's might:
upon the new generation of men 10
eclipse the efforts of the DID, and to
construct for this community the splen-
did future that is clearly within its
grasp.