Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-27
THE FUTURE WASHINGTON.
What Shall be Done for the Less
Favored CIasseSl
ELEvATING THE LOwLT-INDUSTRIAL EDUCA-
TION-THE TEMPERANCE AND LABOR PROBLEMS
To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:

To the Editor of THE EVENING STAR:
In that widely read article in the Atlantic
Monthly, for June. entitled Washington as it
should be-" Mr.. o. b. rockingham very truly
says: Too much cannot be written on the sub
ject Ofthe possibilities or the future Of Washing
ton" more recent newspaper article, on
the future capital" by f. W. Lightner, again
emphasizes the ambition, already largely cher
'Shed. that Washington may eventually become
the great artistic. scientific and educational
center of the whole nation, if not OF the whole
world. That the national pride in this iirec-
ti0n should be quickened and fostered is indeed
desirable: that there should be in Washington
a Great art gallery. great museum a great
musical conservatory, a great library and q
treat university. with nothing omitted for the
Enjoyment OF the como iSseur or the education
ni the student. every patriotic American should
greatly desire. Yet withall that has thus far
been written. no mention has been made of
certain other features essential to the develop
ment of the best conditions of life in the future
Washington. s.,
ART AND INDUSTRY HAND n HAND.
There is. to be sure. in the very atmosphere
OF All educational center a certain uplifting and
ciyliZing Influence. Even the classes perpet-
ualiy doomed TO drudgery are more or less per-
meated and modified by the refinements of
artistic surroundings. The music which the
poorest ears may hear s0ftens the lot and
emo b!es the character. But all these are only
Indirect helps-mere mitigations where more
radical methods are needed
1t is neither UtOpiau nor Impossible that wise
forethonght and persistent effort might some
time make the future Washington a place
where AFFECT poverty. gross Ignorance and
moral depraVitI would be c0IGpar atiyely un-
known
Millions upon millions OF dollars will doubt
less be wisely expended for the adjournment and
the higher educational appliances of our
beloved capital. but. along with these, atten-
ton should he given to the hOnlIer. but equally
noble WO1k of industrial and manual labor
training; supplemented by a thorough business
and labor systemiZati0n in the interest of the
less favored classes
Hand and hand with the work on a ''National
Art Gallery" there should be carried on such
work Tor society helpless ones as would place
opportunity within the reach OF everyone 10
be more specific. there should be an industrial
Institution so largely endowed and SO well
managed as to insure large success-not q
tInld, half-doubtng experiment. but an inst-
tuition with an equipment commensurate with
the Importance of the undertaking.
THE DOMESTIC PROBLEM.
Another agency might be a training school for
domestic service. wherein, with mathematical
certainty, might be solved, in large measure,
the domestic problem which SO harnesses the
life OF the house mistress aud bears still harder
upon the ill-trained servant Still another. a
free employment bureau, with Cutstretched
h0hds TO every one looking for work, and with
such resourcess as would enable it to
furnish employment adapted 10 any CAPACITY
WITHIN tWenty-1Our hours after application
iueS any one doubt that the above mentioned
lnstrumentaiitics wisely and earnestly atninis-
tered and acknowledgement by impecunious con-
SlucldtlobS would. within the next half century,
all but revOutioniZe the city? In connection
With these might there not also be evolved a
jenehcent and patcTnal system Of supervision
which would preclude the possibility of the
youth OF the city growing up IN i~noTauce and
Incapacty: The same sound arguments used
In support OF compulsory education would Apply
VITA luli iorce to such industrial training aS
would enable each future citizen to become a
SeI-Supporting and therefore se.I-resptCting
member of society.
Given for all tH.s oHe-tenth of tie money and
oua-haii of the executive oversight which will
be gwen 10 make Washington preemineut il.
arr and science. and who can doubt the result
bEt to obtain the best yield from these actiyi-
lies. they should not be left to individual sec
taT.an. or any sort OF cTratc or halfway man.
0Gclaent- They should command the interest
and the participation Of a large Intelligent and
Sympah etic public sentiment.
IL II be worth the while Of the whole nation to
give enthusiastic support to the esthetic and
ihtelieGlua features Of its capital it is equally
worth While that it should sanction and pro-
mote the development of these other cyhzing
a@ene.es- Ii the pride Of the nation is enlisted
IN the sOne the most earnest sClicitude MAY
We'll be called forth for the ether
Ihe peculiar method OF government in the
District OF Columbia readers it especially ac-
ceSSbe and adaptive to unique undertakings
The relationship OF Washington to each and
every state in the Union makes it essentially
TIE point where model movements for the ben
cnt oI the whole nation may be carried on. and
where their worth and bearing upon cur entire
seclai structure may be grandly tested.
PIrIFUL AND PAINFUL CONTRASTS.
The daily paper of the future Washington
ought not to give in one column a description of
an elegant superstructure erected to receive
costly pictures and magnificent marbles. and in
another column chronicle, as did a CITY paper
few days since, the arrest Of q HUNGRY bow for
snatching and eating n chickens head and foot.
and Tor TINS luxury getting ive-doilar Inc and
commitment for default
No such @Sotcsque and ohastly procession, as
reported a few DAYS ago. of about ftv bows
following az fnOuTnerS a coiOFed boy bearin9
hli'tf ms arm a cFaeFser- box containing the
BODY at an infant iDnud dead. should be liable
10 JOSH" i&d - and gentlemen Of the art LOVING
class on tneir way to an U8yeiiin9 Of some
great statue which wealth and pride NAV some
dag give 20 our future Washington. No nation
or community is up to higii-H atrr mark Of civil
lzatldn which permits such pitiiul and painful
contrasts.
viii it. be said We need not consider new
wa! ana means, we have already our charities
and Our churches But charity is only RENE
d'al aad special at best. and often fosters the
very evil it seeks to cure. And the Churches
tAey nave tErir beautiful uses. not one at which
however, touches, directly. the groundwork OF
the difficulty
HOW 10 SOLVE THE TEMPERANCE PROBLEM
Inc temperance societies deal with gigantic
evil, which is indeed largely result and not
cause. The present active and widespread
temperance agitation is chiefly valuable in its
educational function Out of all its ferment
viii grow wider spread knowledge of the
necessity for clean strong. healthy physical
bodies. Nc one iota 0fzcalOus effort in any of
the refornlatory work need or should be
relaxed. But the fact will remain that the
physical basis of life needs first attention
10 first clotEe men with ability, and then to
furnish opnc rtuuity to become se.f-suppOrt-
ing Is the chief desideratum. To form charac-
ter will be far more economical and satisfactory
than To labor fcr reform. Given to the dorDes-
tic worker intelii- cnce and skill to prepare
proper and healthfui food. and given to the
!duOrcr q chance to earn a sufiicicncy and the
temperance problem is ON the way to solution
: large share of the ills of drunkenness comes
from the stomach craving for stimulants. from
Ignorance Of the Kind of sustenauce the BODY
needs. ard from the almost fatal necessity to
induce temporary strength to perform the
daily labor.
The hard struggle for bare existence lies hack