القرن التاسع عشر ، رقم ١٨٢، أبريل ١٨٩٢ [و‎‎٣‎٣] (٢٤٤/٧٠)

1892
CHICAGO AND IT
555
state his own views on the subject. This is, no doubt, the effect
partly of temperament, partly of the novelty of his surroundings.
It is a youthful but perfectly honest condition of mind, and
it is one that peoples as well as men grow out of with advancing
years. 2
The only real objection to this intolerance of criticism is that it
renders a foreigner wisely cautious about expressing his candid
opinion. While he sees much to admire, he will naturally see much
that he may not approve. He will do well to confine his criticism to
the favourable side. And, after all, that Americans are sensitive to
English criticism is but a proof of the genuine love and admiration
which they most certainly have for the old country. It is, in very
truth, the highest compliment they can pay us.
And when there is so much to admire, what is the use of fault
finding ? It is easy enough on all sides, but when it is done, nobody
is pleased (except the critic) and nobody is the better (not even the
critic). Let us look on the favourable side. There is plenty to s'ee
there.
During the next two years it is probable that Chicago will have
a far greater number of visitors than in any similar period of her
history—transient visitors, that is, for a large proportion of those who
go to the city, go there to stay. Of all those millions there will be
none, capable of being impressed, who will not be astonished at
what they find. In all the world there is perhaps no site better
suited for a prosperous city, no site less adapted for a beautiful one.
The great lake, stretching far up into the north, compels all inter
course by land between the vast districts on its east and on its west
to pass round its southern end, where Chicago is situated. All the
traffic over the great inland seas of America and from the Atlantic
through them must pass by Chicago to reach the centre of the
States and the river system of Southern North America. The
establishment of such a trade centre has caused all the artificial
channels along which trade flows to direct themselves upon it, and
so it has come about that the railway system at all events of the
Northern States has focussed itself upon Chicago. It is hardly
possible to imagine any conditions, any altered state of things which
can deprive the city of the advantageous position she has attained, or
give to any rival even a share of her prosperity.
And as the people of Chicago have done their best to utilise to
the utmost the commercial advantages of their situation, so also have
they endeavoured to minimise, as far as foresight and skill can
minimise them, its natural disadvantages. Situated on the side of
2 I am by no means certain that it is a bit more objectionable than that
insincere depreciation of ourselves and our institutions to which Englishmen are
given. An American put this very ' straight' to a friend of mine by saying, ' We do
brag, but anyhow we don't cant.'