The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-20
THE RIGHT PRINCIPLE.

The city council on Wednesday even
ing twice affirmed what seems to us
to be the only right principle Of action
with reference to the proposed estab-
lishment in selected locations of GER
tain industries or interests. 1t passed
a resolution declaring that it will not
authorize the establishment of an
amusement park in the Midway dis
trict until the consent of the people liv-
ing in the neighborhood has been Sc
cured, and it negatived the application
for permit to establish a lumber yard
in the immediate vicinity of the new
capitol. In both cases capitalists feel
that they are grievously disappointed
in not being allowed to put their money
into what they fairly consider a legiti-
mate business. They ask with an in
jured air if a man may not do with his
own property as he pleases.
This question has been answered so
often in the negative that one hardly
expects to find it bob up again. Ger
tainly man may not do as he pleases
with his own. In cities particularly,
the ownership of real estate is hedged
The most comprehensive of these Is
the rule that no one shall be allowed to
acta bl;cb opd rooiptoip n p,1iSancn
What is a nuisance is open to argu-
ment and judicial determination; but in
general 1T is any enterprise or under
taking which the owners or occupants
of other property affected find to be
inimical to their comfort, their business
or their health.
One may not establish a slaughter
house in the business district. One
may not manufacture or store powder
in large quantities there. One may not
sell intoxicating liquors within given
distance of churches and schools. There
are scores of things which one may not
do upon his own property. The line has
been drawn too literally instead of too
closely in the past The true rule seems
to us to be that nothing ought to be
tolerated which those actually interest
ed by ownership or occupation of
neighboring property object to.
OF course this will often be felt by
~ 6a
promoters of the amusement park feel
that they are offering to add really
fine attraction to the city. The pro-
jector Of the lumber yard considers
that his business is perfectly legiti-
mate, and that it's location should not
be interfered with. Both find it diff
cult to understand that the source and
center of objection is not in the char
| acter of the enterprises themselves or
their accessories, but in their interfer-
enee as enterprises with the comfort of
the neighborhood.
The people of the Midway district
went out there to get away from
crowds. They bought and paid their
money for. the seclusion of a territory
devoted wholly to residence purposes,
as much as for the ground itself. The
state, which is all of US, is as much in
terested in handsome and attractive
approaches to the new capitol, and
| harmonious surroundings, as in the
| completion of the building itself Like
wise the residents in that district and
| in every other are entitled to respite
from the rasp of the weodsaw and the
racket of teams loading and unloading
| if they ask it.
For every legitimate enterprise there
| is a discoverable site where it will an
noy nobody. The true rule is to locate
| it there, just as we put stock yards at
a distance from the city. The ear and
| the brain are certainly as much en-
titled to protection from what offends
them as is the nose. If the consent Of
a selected community can be obtained.
then the remainder Of the city has no
| interest in the matter: but as long as
| it protests. it should De supported by