Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-16

topography. and what map makers call the
culture OF the United States. Upon imag-
mary state Ines there would run foot
paths, so that the observer could pass
around esch state. and through the larger
states, where such paths would not inter-
fere with the topography or the culture.
Upon such tract there would first be
established the periphery of the United
States, 1O,S55 miles in length of land and
water bonn diaries, ard then from the APP
Parent sea level on the east and west the
tract would be graded to a vertical scale
corresponding with the horizontal, scale, to
show the greatest height attained by any
of our mountains.
The Season to be Represented.
ANY season of the yea1 might be select
ed for representation, either the awaken
ing spring or the flashing summer or the
serene autumn; but perhaps the LIST of
June. which is, generally speaking, the
most beautiful season of the year in the
United States. might be chosen. and by re-
producing the country as of that date some
Idea would be given to the observer of the
latitudinal differences in the country. We
would have all the rivers all the lakes, all
the forests all the mountains, all the val
ieyS. all the chaSmS. all the cities and all
the hamlets CT the United States produced
here in az great eXactitude as human skill
could compass. Upon such map the Mis-
SisSppi river. with it's Missouri tributary,
would he 4.!O6 yards long and about three
feet wide of actual water. Lake Michigan
would contain 22,HU square yards of actual
water surface. Upon such body NINA
ture steamboats, could ply. The cities would
be probably built of glass, in order that by
running electric wires under them they
could be Illuminated at night.
1T is quite practicable. with the skill
now at the command of our scientists, to
thus reproduce the &C UEtry, to give for ed
ucational purposes anC for still greater
purposes thar immediate practical results
so great benefaction to the people Of the
United States.
THE commission to be appointed would
inquire into three propositions: The practi-
Cability, the cost and the advisability of
such a project. 1 group under the head of
practiCa b.ity the physical and financial
propositions: and. inasmuch as it is not
wise at this time to anticipate the work Of
the commission, l will simply state that 1
have expert testimony on these points that
neither will the cost be extravagant nor
will there De any physical difficulties in the
way Of such a proposed production Of our
country in miniature.
LAS to the ACCESSIBILITY. there is not one
hour in any working day of the year when
legislators of the United States admin
istrative officers are not confronted by
problems which could be more speedily,
more justly and more intelligently settled
by refereno to a map of this character.
Graphic Value of the Map.
"a map of this character would at once.
upon Wishing it, convey to the mind Of the
observer s, me correct and comprehensive
idea Of any physical question under consid-
Grafton. tt ere is not anything pertaining
to railroads. internal navig alton. public i'm
provement or to any other development re-
quiring CO.. versance with the physical con-
ditions of the United States but that will
he settled by reference to such a map II eS-
tablished.
Amy member Of the legisla tive body
airy citizen Of the United States visiting
here from my section Of the country,
could gain an idea Of the requirements Of
any part of the west or Of the east. Peo-
pie from the Mississippi valley AMI from
the farther west could see represented the
towns where are manufac tured S9.OOO.OU 900
worth of products per annum, the result of
quintupled powers within the generation
of men now living. People from the east
could see the wonderful growth in that
vast west which is opening, With It's pos
sibiities of hoIcesteads for all the people
of the United States who shall have the
desire and energy to becom Independent
owner of their countrys soil.
Upon such a map would be spread out
a showing of the 236,Om school houses in
the United States. where there are being
by the state more than 1000 900
sibiities of the future, the children who
are going to do what we of the older
generation thought we would do. but which
we have failed TO accomplish.
Upon tnlS map would Ee displayed all
the colors of all the earth and its culture
within our confines-the red soil of the
lands east OF the Alleghanies, the black
loan Of the Mississippi valley and the
the farther west. Vineyards and sand
dunes would be shown: the cotton fields
whitening to their ripeness; the rice plan
tations and the fields Of grain. Upon the
great lakes of the country would stand at
moor the ships which give to our internal
commerce greater facilities on water than
is known on all the oceans of the world
We would have the ID etroit river with
its chain of steamboats,, showing to the
actual physical sense of the observer that
way which carries more commerce than
any other similar space of water on the
globe.
A Patriotic Influence.
THE physical advantages and the educa-
tional results % be attained are not so
great, in my humble Judgment, as the pa
triotic advantage to the country to have
such a map established at the seat of
government of he United States, kept in
good repair, kept up to date. with probably
an attendant furnished by each state to
give the information Of changes SO fast as
they occur. l would hope, If such a map
We're established. that there might be some
margin left to the north and to the south
where extensions of the map might occur.
would hope that the patriotic scientists
of this commission, If they finally decide
to recommend to Congress. and If the idea
should be carried out under their direction
" ould leave a little space off to the far
southeast corner from which might rise
sc ne time in the dear sisterhood of re-
publics, If not in that dearer sisterhood of
states. crucified Cuba. When the wound
in her side shall he healed, perhaps some
time her sacrificial ruby flow will minele
with the sacred scarlet Of our own flag
II would hope that the representatives Of
other lands lying to the north and the far