Evening star., 1902-01-30

Mr.. .BURNHAM'S PAPER
Writes on "The Commercial Value Of
Beauty"
ATHENS As THE GREAT EXAMPLE
err .fe-s
A Modern Instance IS the improve
ment of Paris.
:GE II
THIS CITY'S ED S


Mfr. Daniel H. Burnham, chairman of the
park commission has prepared paper on
"The Commercial Value Of Beauty" which
has especial interest in connection with the
commissions plans for the Improvement of
the District Of Columbia,
1.-The time comes in the history of every
great city when the government of it fos-
ters the building Of public works for their
beauty" says Mr.. Burnham. "The gov
ernmentaI purpose for doing this has va
ried; one ruling power has been actuated by
desire to satisfy its own taste. while an
other has exerted itself in order to divert
the minds of the people or to make them
believe that their happiness was the end in
view. But the pleasure and happiness of
the people has not always been a main OBJ
ject. Many princes have fostered the build
ing of monumental works in order to es-
tablish and maintain prosperity for the
people and with very little thought of
merely pleasing them.
The Example of Athens.
"In Athens is the best example of this
policy After an unparalleled career Of
commerce there came the end of that which
had produced the wealth of Attica. 1t hap
pened at a time when their control of the
Hellenic alliance was disturbed and in dan
ger of being destroyed; when the influence
of the western Mediterranean was growing
while that of the archipelago was on the
wane; when the trade of Athens was serI-
ousIy threa tened Then Pericles came into
power-a man who deeply appreciated the
fine arts. Himself an orator Of the first
rank, he was in sympathy with the work Of
the painter, the sculptor and the architect;
but, above all, he was a statesman, and
one who had the brain to devise great
plan and the nerve to carry it into eXecu-
tion-a plan having for it's purpose the
preservation and even the increase Of the
prosperity of his native city. We can i'm
agine that he said to those around him:
1t may be that the western colonies are
to surpass us in wealth; that as men have
hitherto fiocked to us they will hereafter
follow the sun, because Of the greater op-
portunities afforded in the occident for the
profitable employment of their energies. 1
do not see that we can prevent their going
but we can make sure that, having made
their fortunes. they will come back to Ath-
ems to enjoy them. -,
Il believe that this purpose was In his
mind when he gathered together all the
funds that he could Control and with them
built those monuments which have nude
Athens famous. Her Supremacy did leave
her, but the results of Pericles' foresight
are still In force, as Is proven by the fact
that the people Of southern Greece even
now owe much of their income to the pres
ence among them Of travellers who visit
that country in order to gaze upon those
splendid works which We're built under a
political genius whip discovered the best
method of perpetuartng 'the prosperity of a
citv. .' Il 80
The magnet Of Athens. Is her monuments.
the strength of which seems ever increas.
ing; When the b buildings on the Acropolis
and the architectural reinains that lie in
or near that city shall have disappeared.
Athens will no longer interest travellers
Many other cities stin prosper whose com
merce , mas departed and which are no
longer helped by the, Influence that orig
Inally built them UP: Rome, Cairo, Venice.
Florence, each continues to attract the
wealthy and the leisure class Of the outer
Woria Ihey visit these cities in great
number, and will continue to do SO as long
as their public monuments endure
The Improvement of Paris:
There is a modern example which equals
that OF any ancient city in it's power Of at
traction, and we must applaud the FORE
sight of Louis Napoleon, who is said to
have lavished a sum equal to $50 900, 600.
through the hands Of Baron Hausseman.
for the public improvements which make
Paris mecca for travellers. Fifty MIL
lions OF dollars is a large sum, yet am
told that there every year foreigners spend
not less than three hundred millions, on
wnich the profit to the Inhabitants OF the
CITY Is sixty millions. or more than the
pose. A pretty good venture, you will
agree with me. returning. as it annually
ment.
Beauty In the public work of a city has
always paid. What would the prosperity
OF the inhabitants of Paris be If she were
nerely convenient city, nothing more?
suppose that Chicago and Paris could
neously placed each In the others location?
DO you doubt that the Parisians would find
II oimcult to live, or that the people of
Chlcago would favorably feel the effect of
the cnange! We must continue to live
here, no matter how depressed the times.
ASK our merchants and manufacturers
whether or not the percentage of profit
on on their ,, sales is what it once was. and
smaller than in the past, considering the
volume OF business they now do, and 1
fear they will also tell you that there is
not much hope Of increasing the percent
age of profits
IF this be true our supremacy in COM
merce Is not so sure as once 1t was; the in
nuence which made the city known
throughout the world is far less potent, and
Is constantly diminishing. All thoughtful
men know that this Is true; but perhaps we
may live contentedly on and not suffer-
This might be quite sure were it not for a
grave Danger that threatens us-I mean
spend their time and money. elsewhere
Whlle comparatively few travellers visit us
LOT pleasure, our own people Of the leisure
class are absenting themselves. At the
same time those tn this country who grow
rich elsewhere do not come here, but. go
10 otner cities where they find material con-
dltlons much more pleasant than we have
II Is our American absentees who make
foreign towns prosperous Their expendi-
lures enrich the traders, large and small.
VINO deal directly in all the luxuries of
NE IN the places where they sojourn. I do
not know the amount OF profits made here
ana spent elsewhere,; but 1t must be very
large, while the morley spent among us by
pleasure seekers is yearly growing less.
If This City Were a. Pleasant.
AND why do not visitors come. among
us as they go to Pafis.s and why do our
wealthy people absent themselves? If this
city were as pleasant, To- them as Paris is
would they not remain at home. as do the
Parisians? The argument needs not to be
further expanded Those who have plenty
of leisure and money at their disposal nat
urahy seek the most delightful places to
live in; but while they may be justified In
doing this we must remember that their
presence or absencefmakes q difference be-
tween prosperity and comparatively hard
times In any great eity3ff1t is plain. there
rore. tnat 1t pays any people to do all In /