Evening star., 1870-02-02
WHERE SHOULD BE TIE CAPITAL,
No. 4.

Ahr ShhoNlC REMOVAL AGITATION.
The United States Government hardly had
been located at Washington before projects for
its removal began. Whatever might be the
merits and fitness Of any location there would
inevitably be discontents, and busybodies 70 ad-
vocate q change; and specious arguments might
be offered to support it, as for almost any other
proposition. new-begun, unpaved, crudely-
built, sparsely-populated, ill-supplied town, a.
Washington must have been in its rude COM
mencement, would, for the time, naturally ex-
cite unkind comments, as would a new city ex-
pressy laid out for the capital at any place or at
any time. Such objections, however. could af-
ford no genuine reason against Washington as a
permanent seat Of government.
ITS UNFORTUNATE EFFECT.
So long as these filings and suggestions of re-
moval continued as mere idle talk no great harm
could result from them. But when they became
both frequent and apparently earnest, men OF
property became timid, and hesitated to build
literally or invest largely i'm the city. And since
city depends much on its builders for its ad-
vancement and beauty it is difficult to over-esti-
mate how greatly Washington has suffered in
progress from the removal agitation. A double
wrong by 1t is indicted on the city: 1t hinders
prospective improvs sments, and depreciates the
property of those who have already given IL
wealth. To the country at large il defeats the
realization Of the desirable features OF & na,.
tional capital; and, whal is worse, the shorty
comings which are the direct result of the ayi-
tation are used as arguments TO condemn the
city.
WHY AND HOW 1T sHoULp BE CURED.
This condition of the matter should pot much
longer exist. The subject, without della, should
be fully discussed; and if ii should clearly appear
that there are urgent reasons for the removal of
the seat of government to some other locality
let the matter now be determined. And since
Washington was established as the permanent
capital under a provision of the Constitution,
and removal therefore can only be effected by
a Constitutional amendment, authorizing it, and
it is just and necessary that 50 important a
movement should have that decided sanction,
let such an amendment be submitted to the
States; and if three-fourths of their number
shall decide that there is good and sufficient
reason for it, let the proper location be selected
and another capital be built, with no drawbacks
to defeat its due destination; but, if it shall be
again decided that Washington shall be the
capital forever, let every one hereafter bold his
peace, that, at last, it may have opportunity t.
become what it should and.ca be, national
capital in its best and fullest sense.
THE QUESTION TO BE CONSIDERED.
Now, therefore, We will consider the question
whether Washington has less, or more, real
claims to remain, than some other locality has to
become, the national capital; and where the rival
locality is, or should be.
THE ONE ARGUMENT AGAINST WASHINGTON.
The great and perhaps only serious argument
against Washington rs the capital is, that its
position is not central, coupled with the propo-
sition that national capital should have such a
position. The first point to be considered there
fara 10 ho,
it there is in this argument.
WHAT is THE TRUE GENERALITY?
In what does, or should, governmental CEN
Tality consist? Should it be geographical?
That would place the capital by the Rocky
Mountains, somewhere near the head of the
Missouri river, where cold and barrenness and
desolation will always exclude population. For
il must be considered that, on such a hypothe-
sis, surface and distance are the governing
principles; that Alaska counts as largely, for
equal surface, as New England and New York:
and it matters not, in distance, whether YOU
travel over American soil, the intervening ter
ritories of other nations, or the waters of the
ocean. Let those who have faith in this argu-
ment pause to contemplate its force, and dwell
on its fitness.
Or should mere population be the guide?
Then, as principle, is a savage of Australia as
important to the worlds interests as an Ameri-
can citizen; or do four hundred million Chinese
move the world with twenty times the force that
do twenty million English? 1t is evident that
mere numbers are nearly as fallacious for argu-
ment as territory.
WHAT CLASSES ARE MOST CONCERNED N THE
CAPITAL.
But, that no distinction may be made. VIII e
all citizens are equal in rights before the law.
let all arguments in the present case b founded
On the assumption OF the equal import snc, Of
every person, so far as number is considered
Here arises, however, the essential inquiry:
What classes of persons are specially interested
in, and are directly affected by, the position OF
the capital-what persons have occasion to, or
do most, visit the same? We need compare
here only the three great atclasses--agriculturists
manufacturers and commercial men. The mere
laborers are mostly engaged with these leading
classes, in nearly corresponding proportion, and
cannot modify the comparison. Professional
men are distributed pretty equally among the
same classes, and average with them. Invent
ors and literary men are most numerous in man
ufacturing and commercial districts, and add so
much to the relative importance Of those classes.
Miners may be classed with manufacturers, and
fishermen as commercial. Other occupations
are either scattered among those leading classes,
or are Of little relative numerical importance.
THE AGRICULTURAL LEAST CONCERNED.
Of the three great classes, the agricultural
unquestionably have much the least direct con-
nection with the government, and have the
least concern in its position. Their products
are mostly sold to the other classes generally
10 local dealers; and they buy their goods of
local traders. Their dealings have little con-
nection with the government, the tradesmen,
II any, rendering the accounts Of sales. 1t is
not, and probably never will be, the policy of
the government to tax farms, or farm products
directly; and the incomes of farmers, when now
incomes are taxed, are mostly below the tax
able limit.
MANUFACTURERS LARGELY CONCERNED.
The manufacturers have much more exten-
siye dealings with the government and are
much more Interested in its position. or inter
nal taxation manufacturers pay large part Of
the revenue. And the various manufacturing
interests are likely to be affected by almost any
change Of policy or OF the general laws OF the
country.
COMMERCIAL MEN MOST CONCERNED.
But the commercial, Of all classes, are by far
Al. ,,,osf intimately concerned with the oovar,,