National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-30
Bright Prospects for Washington.

Never before have the substantial in
terests of the National Capital exhibited
such progressive development as at the
present time. New improvements under
the direction of the general Government
are being pushed forward rapidly; the
District Commissioners are preparing for
large amount of street paving, park
ing, and sewering and private capital
and energy are making more sub
stantial Improvements in the erection
of new buildings and the creation of new
business enterprises than at any previous
period in the history Of the marvellous
advancement of modern Washington.
All this presages bright future for our
handsome Capital City TIE NATIONAL
REPUBLICAN is enlisted in the cause of
progress, in all the word implies. in the
interests of the people of the District of
Columbia. 1t has unbounded conf
dence i'll the future growth and pros
perity of this favored political metropolis.
1t believes that with proper and per-
sistcnt energy on the part of our citizens
Congress might be prevailed upon to DO
nate two or three millions of acres of
the public land for educationa purposes
in Washington. 4 national university
should be established here under the
auspices Of the General Government,
where the youth Of America could acquire
It's complete an education as at any Of
the capitals Of Europe. Here at the Ma
tional Capital is the proper place for the
Government to gather the evidences Of
its national greatness, by establishing
various museums, in which specimens Of
its unlimited resources may be gathered
and exhibited. The mineral resources
of the country would make an impor-
tant exhibit. Let the Government lay
out some of the land in the District into
horticultural, botanical, and agricultural
gardens, wherein specimens of the sew
cral products Of the entire country may
be displayed. The Patent Office is already
Il museum Of the inventive and me-
chanical genius Of our people. Here is
the proper place for the establishment
of a national geological garden, where the
natural history Of the entire continent
may be studied; also for a grand aqua
rum. containing the various represent
ativcs of the limitlesS millions of in
habitants Of the waters of our rivers,
lakes, and bordering oceans. This is the
place for the location of such institutions
Of science, art, and learning as receive
the encouragement of the General Gov
crnment. The grand National Library is
here, and at Washington will gather men
IF science, art. wealth, and learning from
Ill parts of the country.
All this can be done by the Government
without exciting the iealousies of States
u individuals, for this District is the |
common heritage Of the whole Ma |
ion. It is neutral territory, in which !
he people of the entire Union, with
)ut regard to their politics, religion,
solor, sex, or condition, have a COM
non right and interest. Such i'm
would typify the Nation at |
arge; they would rouse feeling of ma
ional pride in the heart Of every Ameri- |
an citizen, Washington would become
he attractive place for thousands of visi-
Ors from al parts OF our common coUn- |
Fv and soiounerS from foreign lands.