Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-12
Life at the National CAPITAL.

From the New York Tribune
Permanent residents of the national capital
under whose eyes the city is developing daily
in symmetry, beauty, and convenience, and
who accordingly, are unable to measure its
growth by contrast and comparison, can
scarcely realize how rapidly it is becoming one
of the most interesting places in the world.
But occasional visitors. and notably those who
are there not oftener than once in four wears.
find much to surprise and delight them outside
OF the festivities and displays of Inauguration.
In several respects Washington is unique
There are comparatively few countries whose
capitals are not also their chief cities London,
Paris, Berlin. Vienna, Madrid, Rome, St.
Petersburg, Rio Janeiro, Buenos Ayres are
seats of civilized government. but each is like
wise a metropolis. The multifarious interests
OF great center OF trade and commerce divide
the attention of all the people and monopolize
the thoughts of most. In Washington the WIS.,
ible agents. implements and functions CT adj
minlstration are predominant They exercise
that paramount influence over the community
which a university established in a small town
exercises. 1t is impossible to escape from the
consciousness that the chief business of Wash
! ington is the management of the affairs of a
great nation. The only trade is that which
supplies the necessities of those whose employ
ments and interests are associated directly or
indirectly with objects and purposes which
concern the whole country.
Though separated by daily increasing dis
lance from the center of population, Washing
ton is practically far more accessible to the
citizens of majority of the states than when
it was chosen as the seat of the government A
few years ago the question of removing the
capital to some point geographically more CEN
trail was the subject of rather languid discus
slon which soon lapsed, and which is not likely
for long time, if ever. to be renewed The
seat Of government is too firmly fixed to be un-
seated by anything less than popular convul-
sion. And this consciousness of permanence
has not failed to find expression in the develop
ment Of the city. Not only is the administra-
tive plant vast and constantly augmenting, but
around 1t have sprung up affiliated institutions
ofeducational importance and multitude of de-
lightful homes and strong affections. The
natural situation of Washington and the artif-
cial conhguration of its streets afford archi-
tectural possibilities, both on large and on a
small scale, which are reproduced no where
else in the world And there is no obstacle to
| unlimited growth in nearly every direction
New York is marvel of expansive energy and
destined to become more marvellous as time
goes by. But its location, incomparabIy
adapted for commerce, is peculiarly unfavor-
able for residence. involving TRANSFORMATION
problems which have scarcely begun to be
solved, while its uncompromising rectangles
defy every attempt at picturesque construction.
The demands of trade are inexorable, and the
acquisition of a home has become an achieve
ment-an achievement, moreover. which only
wealth can hope to accomplish.
In Washington, az elsewhere, wealth has its
natural advantages. 1t increases whatever
capacity its owners may otherwise possess
for making companionship and hospitality
agreeable and elevating, but nowhere are pop
nlar repure. the acknowledgment Of merit and
the recognition of social desirableness more
| completely disconnected from ally money stan
dard than at the capital. So large a proper
ton of those whose acquaintance is a distin6c-
ton are dependent upon salaries, the precise
| amount of which is known to everybody. or
may be ascer tanned by CHANGING at blue-book.
| that there is little temptation to make pre-
tence of riches or maintain a deceitful show
of fictitious prosperity. And this state of af-
! fairs has an important and salutary influence
upon the social hfe'of the city. A few rich
men make lavish expenditures but they do not
set an example which other people feel any OBJ
| legation or even impulse to initiate. Though
Washington is constantly attracting from all
parts of the country, by it's climate. surround
ings and institutions, and by ts diversified ap-
| peals to different eyes and minds, permanent
residents who consult only their personal
preferences III removing thither, it retains. and
is likely to preserve for generations n large
measure of national and refined simplicity