The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-23
ATTRACTIVE CITIES
sCo1ryrxnc1AL VALUE OF BEAU.
tyr DEK0NsTRATED.
Axhsus q Notable ExAmple-Paris
An Instance Of the. Profit q, City
Hay Receive from Invest
msnts in Municipal i'm
provsmsnts.


ths Pafk Commission, sayslThe Washing
Ccnmerciai Value Of Beauty.H which
has especial interest in connection with
nsut Of the District Of Columbia.
THE stime comes in the history OF ev-
cry great city when the Government OF
4 fo4ters the building Of public works
for their beauty" says Mr.: Burnha an, :
has varied: one ruling power has been
sctueted by a desire to satisfy his own
taste. while another has exerted itself In
order to divert the minds of the people
pr 70 gnake them believe that their hap
6noss was the end in view. But the
pleasufe and happiness OF the people
have hot always been main object.
Many princes have fostered the building
e monumental works IN order % o., ss LAD
pie, and with very little Thought OF
An Example OF Athens.
I'm Athens IL the best example Of this
policy. After an unparalleled career OF
commerce there came the end OF that
which had produced the wealth Of At
ttCe. 70 happened at time when their
control of the Hellenic alliance was dis
turbed and In danger of being DESTROYED;
whan the influence of the Western Medi-
Shs Archipelago was on the .wane; when
t1e trads Of Athens was seriously threat
e1ed. Then Pericies came into powers
man who deeply appreciated the fine arts.
Himself an orator Of the first rank. he
vas In. sympathy with the work Of the
painter, the sculptor and the architect;
but, above AL, he was a statesman. and
one who had ~ brain to devise great
plan and the nerve to carry 1t into exc
cutton--A plan having for its purpose the
prosperity OF his native city. We can
Imagine that he said to those around
IT may be that the Western colonies
ere to surpass US in wealth; that as men
have hitherto fiocked to us they will
hereafter follow the sun, because of the
greater opportunities afforded in the Oc-
cldent for tho profitable employment Of
prevent their going. but We can make
sure that. having made their fortunes.
they viii come back to Athens to enjoy
mind when he gathered together all the
funds that he could control and with
them built those monuments which have
made Athens famous. Her supremacy did
leave her. but the results of Pericles'
foresight are still In force, as Is proved
BY the fact that the people Of Southern
Greece even now owe much Of their in
cems 70 the presence among them OF
travellers who visit that country in order
70 gass upon those splendid works which
=
discovered the best method Of perpetu-
attng the prosperity Of a city,.
"The magnet of Athens Is her monu-
ments. the strength Of which seems ever
Increasing. When the buildings on the
Acropotis and the architectural remains
that lie in or near that city shall have
disappeared Athens will no longer In
terest travellers. Many other cities still
ana which are no longer helped by the
tnfiuence that originally built them up.
Rome, Cairo. Venice, Florence, each con-
tinues 70 attract the wealthy and the
leisure class Of the outer world. They
win continue to do 80 as long as their
public monuments endure.
The Improvement OF Paris.
There Is modern example which
equals that of any ancient city in IT.
power of attraction, and we must ap
plaud the foresight of Louis Napoleon
s who is said to have lavished a sum equa
to 80. 900 900, through the hands of Baron
Haussenan. for the public Improvement
which make Paris mecca for tray'
elers. Fifty millions of dollars Is large
sum. yet am told that there every year
foreigners spend not less than s30o.0oo, 900
on which the profit to the Inhabitants OF
the city Is $50, 0000 900. or more than tht
Emperor laid out in accomplishing his
win agree with me, returning. as 1t an
nuaily does. more than 100 per cent. on
the investment.
Beauty in the public work of a city
has always paid. What would the pros
perity OF the inhabitants of Paris be II
she were merely a convenient city, moth.
ing more? Suppose that Chicago and
Paris could be interchanged; that they
be simultaneously placed each In the
others location? Do You doubt that the
Partisan would find II. difficult to live. OF
that the people Of Chicago would favor.
ably feel the effect OF the change? We
must continue to live here, no matter
how depressed the times. Ask our mer-
chants and manufacturers whether or no
the percentage of profit on their sales
is what 1t once was, and they will tell
you that their gains are smaller thar
In the past, considering the volume OF
business they now do, and I Gear they
win also tell you that there is not much
hope of increasing the percentage OF
these profits"
eli this be true. our supremacy in
commerce is not SO sure as once it was;
the influence which made the city known
throughout the world is far less potent
and 1t constantly diminishing. All
thouRhtfui men know that this is true;
but perhaps we may live contentedly on
and not suffer. This might be quite sure
threatens us-I mean the tendency of our
wealthy people to spend their time and
money elsewhere While comparatively
few travellers visit us for pleasure, our
own people Of the leisure class are alb
senting themselves. At the same time
those in this country who grow rich