Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1877-10-06
sOHE CAPITAL CONSIDERATIONS.

Not long since, feeling M anlfestei itself
In Pennsy lvania for the removal of her capt.
tai 10 her leading city. The idea is not new.
IL rs not surprising. The time has come to
look at this capital question truly, to strip
II OF the venerable nonsense that oh scures lis
merits, to tell the truth about il, whether the
truth agrees with public opinion and the
views OF the fathers or not.
Let rot the reader suppose, n what fol-
lows, that We are making an argument for
the removal of the National Capital from
Washington. Here ii is and here it will re-
main. There is no use in wasting words on
that point. We would only indicate how
the interC sted parties are - profit most by q
partnership which is indissoluble. II this is
not in every respect such a CITY "a the Ma
tional CAPITAL ought 10 be, the only course
now lett Is To make il SO.
1t was false idea, born OF primitive con-
dltions that no longer exist, which fXed most
OF our capitals where they are. Oar grand
fathers knew b t little OF soc al scienCe-tn-
deed but little is known of IL [ } day-a III
new MODES of life and business which they
could not fOresee have as completely upset
their calculations on the capital q uestt ons a
on many others.
Since the continent has been crossed In
e1ghiy-thrce hours the mere distance OF any
capital from any other point becomes of no
consequence. But 1t is OF great a nd constant
ly increasing consequence that the capital of
state or o. the nation should ne its greatest
city. The advantages of tdis are obvious I D
those who have tried to understand modern
civilization. The only point for discus sion
Is Wnetner LncSe are OverbalauCCI by the
dIsadvantaa :.
The first step toward making an ideal cap
i;al is 10 make it just what the Traditional
capital is not; To acquire unofficial inn abb
tautS ana U official business in excess OF all
other cities; to seemingly disregard the fact
OF its being capital, and, without reference
10 that fact, make II oheTt0ise the completest
city possible.
But there has been and yet remains a dis
trust OF this The general government came
here that its servants might not be outnum-
hered aud OutweIghed, and subjected to
local Influences" This means that the
government would have capita without
having one. IL now means nothing else. The
idea was always a stumbling block, and
modern ways and means of living have
made ii also a fColishuess There is too much
inter dependence in civilized society What
is distrusted is as essential as what Is trust
ed. The officers who yield to influences"
are apt To be those who know least about
them. DO The people intend to send babies
here for servants, In order to have pure ones?
To be log cal, the government should go into
the wilderness agair-,ay 10 Alaska and
keep moving on as fast as civiliZ alton fol
lows, and have lie seat continually barbir
Gus. IL might then be virtuOus, aud we
should hope 1t would be happy.
It's fears OF q prosperous nifty are
confe ssion not fiattering to itself. China na1
similar jealousy, was afraid of the rest
of the world, and walled herself in-or ra Lher
out Under the name of patriotism TOO
many OF our fathers conceived the same pa
ganism In regard to our capitals, and with
out the excuse possess 4 by China we have
kept ii an active principle while growing up
on telegraPHs, cylinder presses, and the the
DRY OF evolution.
We are not impeachiug the patriotism of
any men whose names tue Amer,ctn people
love. We are not denying that Congress
should have exclusive Jurisdiction here. We
think II should. And we think those men
were wise in their generation. But what wa /,
life to them Is not TO us cannot be and
should not be. And it is no. true that a cap
ital which Congress governs should be a
commercial nonenity.
ANY interest which would be really dam
gerOus IL New York were the seat OF govern
ment can "inflrence" tbe government now
AZ well as II the Capitol stood in CPntr al
Park. II all that New York mas tn offer were
added % the posse 'ions OF Washington, he
average government servant would be wiser
happier and better than he is now; and the
Congressional Record would have ,en
spared much nOlsepSe On the subjects Of
finance and political economy If the states D..
men uttering II ha been compaiIei to live,
see, talk. think, bieathe, move In the co N
mercial metropolis. The fathers, who b.
lieved more than we do in specla, pr0vi-
dences, expected an ideal capital to gro Y
Without the means OF life. The govern
merit" whose presence was ex pected TO in
bue everything about IL win all desirable
q'allt .es, is dry business concern, as desti-
Lute of sentiment as u hardw re shop IL
employs some valuable scientific workers,
some Che rlatans, and many whD gladly en-
brace every opportunity for Intellectual Ii "
log, but who are SO p bor that decent APP
peaTance is hardship and hospitality inn
possible TO them. Narrow action Is nee asa
rily the rule with them, however wide the
thought may be. This great business con-
cern serves its own purpose. Left to Itself ii
will serve no other. That purpOs g is not to
promote the Intellectual life. Its offices ara
filled with ne1ula, however, which needs to
feel only reasonable att action from with
out, and to see the necC ssary conditions
round abort IL, to resolve itself into fixed
and fructifying stars.
The reputation of Saratoga is not so envi-
able that it satisfied Washington. She knows
that community devoted mainly to fashion
and government business Will fail in iltel-
lectual living. She would re- Jay the general
government for what she receives from It,
by completing fhe civilization il necessarily
leaves incOm lete, by utilizing what il
brings together, but cannot perfectly use.
She would show where the artists who are
here are TO be found and what is expect. 1 of
them; bring into Fellowship the desultory
thinkers; call to regular order the literary
skirmishers; ard satisfy the n ..m erous hearts
that now grow chill and weary amid the de-
ceptive splendOr OF her winters. Can the
"gOvel nment' and the people it brings here
be Independent OF such services and afforI to
do without them?
There has ever been an unvillingness, q
neglect, an Inability at all evelts failure
To acknowledge that the nation stands in
need OF The individual city. TIE fancy that
what rs one party's gain is neces sarily the
others los Is as false here as il is ahywhe. e
IN good e. Onomy. The two interests are sup
Elemental and not conflicting. Toe nation
inPeratively needs the city. Their benefits
aid mlsfortunes are mutual. Neither suffers
nor pros pers alone. Ey every aid fhe gov.
eminent gives TO aaofflcial growth, it lessons
the necessity for appropriations and endOw-
ments OF its own; provides for such a crys-
taliZation as The ideal capital must have:
enables smaller and weaker but 4 deter
and more adaptable hand 70 fuse the mate
rails and finish the finer forms which its OW q
cspnot Perfect. The most desirable thing to
Oe accomplished DOw-nOt simply to bless
unofficial Washing Ton, but to bless the
United States-is inst what some venerat ID
men sought to avoid. 1t is to draw about
the public buildings the very la gest, rich
est, most independent and eelf-susfaining
commercial or manufacturing city that is
now possible.
We are aware that great cities are not
made by Congress. But we are also aware
that the lOnged-f results of intellectual Al liy.
Ing will delay till powerful individual city
herself furnishes the inspiring spirit. Toe
gentlemen in whose hands our dc ,tinies so
largely lie can act on correct principles with
correct knowledge OF The necessities OF the
case, and keep the inevitable end In view.
They can reduce axatiOn, give us and them
selves the best possible harbor. save the