ABSTRACT
The latest forecast of American life in the twentieth century predicts the downfall of the “boss,” the abolition of political corruption and class legislation, equality of opportunity, the triumph of international arbitration, the cessation of sectional discords, and a universal reign of peace-until the cities of New York and Chicago go to war to decide which shall annex Texas! Chicago was the target of every journalistic joke-maker in New York
up to two years ago, when the “Greater New York” idea came to the front. But Chicago with all her annexations has only 189 square miles of territory, while New York now covers 360 square miles of land. This gives New York the rst place among the cities of the world, so far as mere extent of territory goes. For London (administrative county) has an area of only 118 square miles, Paris 30, Berlin 24, Philadelphia 129. What, then, is the justication of this immense annexation, or is it only a land-grabbing scheme to gratify local vanity and a false municipal pride?
