New-York tribune., 1909-01-18
METROPOLIS MADE TO ORDER

Years ago it was unavoidable that nature
should take its course in the matter Of creating
booms for different parts of the universe. III
ancient times cities had greatness thrust upon
them for it was necessary to let knowledge OF
their merits permeate the world through natural
channels When Romuus turned up the nrst
spadeful of sod for the walls of the lmperlal
Citv-to-be he had no way Of making his pre-
diction of its future greatn good, ana as q
result he didn't live TO see the full fruits OF MS
labors London grew and became great not
because of printed circulars scattered broad
cast over Europe stating that the British capt.
tai bad so many miles Of paved streets and so
many miles of sewers, but because the mer-
chantman discovered that the wharves of the
Thames offered most convenient place TO LOAD
and unload merchandise. New York In the
days of its infancy was advertised only by irs
loving friends but, like the little peach IN the
orchard known TO Johnny Jones and his sister
Sue it grew and grew. and grew.
Now things are changed If man has farm
for sale he advertises 1t. If he wants TO trade a
, bird dog for pair of opera glasses he lets the
public know of it through the columns of the
newspaper And what is good for the individual
must be good for the community. Some
years ago when Boston found itself losing
ground in the race for municipal supremacy. 1t
began to consider the merits OF newspaper
ma magazine and signboard publicity Fortunately
unlike the Texas city which advertised Itself
for sale. the promoters of Boston's greatness
were not even investigated by the postofice au-
thorities. and their mail not ordered
stopped This leads TO the belief that Boston
must possess advantages as place of resi-
dence. Notwithstanding the selection of New
York as a field of operations by some four
million people
SDTinCfef Mass, with q
for boom. For scores of years 1t has stood
half way between Boston and New York await
ing the recognition which it knew should come
to it BY right A gain OF 80 per cent in popu-
Iation between 1890 and 1900 only whettsd its
appetite for more. and the Board of Trade Of
fered $500 to stimulate ideas the subject
Of municipal publicity. AS might have been
expected the prize for the most successful and
original method of advertising a city went to a
man from Chicago It is rumored that the next
most brilliant idea came from Bostonian,
suggesting that another Democratic State
Convention in Springfield would probably give
that place alI the publicity it wanted. but
owing to the source Of the suggestion and the
fear that the idea might be loaded it soaked
In the rain barrel for some time before opening,
and when brought to light had lost much Of its
sparkling brilliancy.
New York wishes Springfield well in its quest
for citizens 1t might be supposed that. as
this city never has had to go out and beat
the bushes for inha btants It would be inclined
to treat the proposition with levity, but on the
contrary it might be willing TO make canvass
of its own population, sort out a few thousands
and turn them over 10 It's struggling Massachu-
setts sister as starter-a sort OF nucleus, as
It were bout which the future greatness of
Springfield might be gathered.