IX

THE WELCOME OF THE CITY

THE contemporaneous history of our great
cities gives abundant proof that practically
all of the men to the fore in municipal
and industrial affairs are not natives of the city of
their adult residence, but are immigrants, having
come to the sphere of their most profitable use¬
fulness from rural communities. Newspapers and
periodicals persist in offering us the biographies of
these men, and their triumphal, if strenuous, progress
toward success is supposed to incite the youth of
the land to go and do likewise. Perhaps these
biographical stimulants have helped some to make
their fortunes—if gifted with the knack of read¬
ing between the lines—^yet, at best, the value of
these highly coloured testimonies of efficiency is
very problematical.

The day seems past when the country lad, duly
garnished with whisps of hay and carpet-bag,
found this make-up his best recommendation and
passport into the very innermost offices of great
merchant princes. These same merchant princes
have no compunction about lauding the country boy
at the many gatherings graced by their presence

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