The Washington critic., 1888-06-16
MAsnINGToN IN $50.

The celebration Of the Centennial
of the Constitution and the Interna-
tional Conference will bring many
thousands of visitors TO the National
Capital, not only from all sections of
the United States but from Mexico,
the Central American republics and
South America. The representation
from the latter countries will not only
be large but of distinguished and in
iiuential character, drawn hither by
political and commercial considera-
tions that should naturally form
strong bonds Of sympathy between
the governments and peoples of the
Western Hemisphere.
They will find much to crafty and
astonish them in the visible institu-
tions of the parent Republic, in its
methods of operation, in its noble
Capitol, in the evidences of sub
stantial progress, of architectural and
industrial art and of educational
development to be found on every
hand; and it is of no inconsiderable
importance that on such an occasion
Washington should be seen to the
best possible advantage as emblematic
-, ~. 'no III and growth of civil
liberty and the chief seat ana .ortro
of popular government in the New
World.
Grand, impressive and instructive
as the Sights of Washington now
are, the prospect is that they will
be materially and rapidly increased
from this time on. Nothing can pre-
vent it if the House of Representa-
tives responds to the action of the
Senate in the same liberal and public
spirited manner with regard to vari-
GUS contemplated improvements that,
while subscribing public necessity;
will add vastly to the attractiveness
of the city.
What is intended to be the finest
Library building IN the world is
ready for its foundations and will
soon be well under way, and it is
more than likely that before the COM
memorative. ceremonies of the Gen.
tennial year are inaugurated, work
will have begun upon another edifice
that will doubtless eclipse all similar
structures in massive beauty-the
new Supreme Court building.
An extension of the National Mu-
scum is also proposed, to cost not less
than half million dollars. The pres
ent building, that was thought at the
time of its erection to be of ample ca
pacity for the next fifty years, is al
ready found inadequate and larger
accommodations are imperatively de-
manded, for which Congress should
at once provide.
Work upon the buildings of the new
Naval Observatory will also have be-
gun by the time our Centennial guests
arrive if the proper legislation is had,
and we are not entirely without hope
that Congress will have also agreed
upon plans for the Memorial Bridge
across the Potomac-a proposition
that has been favorably considered
by the Senate Public Buildings Com.
mittee and evidently accords with
the public sentiment of the country.
1t would be memorable event, in.
deed, the laying of its first stone in
the presence of the assembled citizens
Of the Three Americas.
We are encouraged to believe, more.
over, that the important question of a
new City Postoffice and new District
Buildings will be settled at the pres.
ent session Of Congress and the ground
broken for these much-needed i'm.
provements before the setting in of
another winter.
All of these propositions should be
agreed upon in advance of the open
ing of the Centennial year of the
Republic, as we'll for sentimental as
for practical considerations. This
being done, there will be no buster
workshop-on the continent than the
National Capital in the spring of 1882
SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUEsDAY-by
that time we may know something
about it.