Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-30

NATIONS CAPITAL
Our Only City Worthy the Object of
a Pilgrimage.
The MONUMENTS OF POW Err
Some of the Principal Features
Graphically Described
I ~ - or \ IT I { \ Y =
HISTORIC SSOCIATIONS

Henry Ioomis Nielsen in the Churchman.
Possibly it will not please jewellers and
natives of other cities of our progressive
country il l begin this brief dissertation on
their national capital by saying that Wash
ington is our only city that is the worthy
object of a pilgrimage; but since the state
Inent is true. it may as well be uttered
betines. I speak thus Of Washington. since
it il a city which possesses both the signs
and portents of modern power and the be
ginnings of time, and it is the only one
Of our own where these unite to make the
obvious life and purpose of the city Here
We have the capital Of {, great free nation
telling its place in the social and political
order of the country on its very face.
Here are the outward signs and the very
dwelling places of the civil and military
power of the republic. You may go to
Washington you go to Rome-to see the
monuments of power. In the eternal city
one dreams over the footsteps of dead
kingdom. republic and empire, and looks
curiously upon the vanishing signs of the
temporal power of the church, which fights
50 streuuOusly against the fate of becoming
purely religious body, and upon the tenn
pies OF the new national Italian life In
the city of the new world one finds the
central home of the republic, the city that
is as purely capital as Rome was when
Rome mistress of the world. as YER
saiIIes was in the days of Louis XIV: for
Washington is not only the seat of govern
ment. but the fact is apparent everywhere
and at every step.
The Great Dome of the Capitol.
The first realizing sense of arriving which
che has on approaching the city by railroad
train is the great dome of the Capitol and.
the train runs in. although the dome is
lost again and again yet, with each nearer
view. something more of the beautiful build
ing comes within the range of vision, until
the whole fair white fabric bursts upon
one. There is TO public building in the
world that Is more impressive There are
bigger buildings, and much more perfect
ones. for If you will remain long enough IN
our capital city you will learn of defects in
this stately pile which could not possibly
have been discovered except by the prying
eye of contemptuoIs familiarity. But, after
IL knowledge of all these defects has been
acquired, you will never this white
splendOr coming 10 you in the early morn
ing, or in the glare of the noon, or in the
fading twilight. that You will not rejoice
in the sight, holding your eyes tenaciously
upon it's long straight lines. it's stately col
Umns especially those of the older and
middle part, the deep gray shadows of its
balconies. and its soaring dome. In time,
You will come 10 have the feeling which
Romans have for St Peters. that the Cap
itol IS hOmelke. As l have already sug-
geSted. you will have a tendency to treat
always increase outward seeming respect,
II usually promotes affection, and those
who know the Capitol best love its corners
and receSses. from the bottom of the crypt
to the TOP of the dome hardly wearying
Of the hideous frescoes with which TO the
crying injury and insult of art. Congress
has added to corridors and committee rooms
q touch of American dUmeSticity which,
the interior walls Of the adjoining library
show. is in the way Of being supplanted by
s1mething better, if less ferceiy national.
There is the great sweep of beautiful
grounds. too. mounting upward to the mar
bic terraces and beautiful stairways,
You approach the building, or sweeping
down from it as you descend from it
grounds that are green and rich in shrubs
and trees. and that. republican-ike, are
generously open To the wayfarer. Here in
the midst of verdure IS the home of the
law. for within the marble halls are the
Congress and the court the makers and
the Interpreters Of the laws. and whether
We like or dislike what the men of today
are doing, the very fact that our liberties,
our comfort, our rights and our progress
are guarded in this great building, make it
the most impressive building in the land.
and. considering the place of democracy in
contemporary politics. its achievements and
It's problems. the enormous extent, both in
respect Of territory and in population of
its jurisdiction. the most impressive build
ing in the world.
The Washington Monument.
At the other. the western end of the city
is another fine yision-the Washington mon
ument-which one sees. perhaps. to best
advantage on approaching the capital on
the river in the early morning through the
msts that rise from the water and from
the fats which are now growing, all too
slowly. into a park. 50 that this memento
OF the greatest American. which began to
rise. as his life began. amid rugged and
untempered nature. is soon to find itself.
as his fame dbides set in an ameliorated
environment OF civilization. This monu-
ment is a splendid achievement. for. once
laughed at on account Of its resemblance
t. r. factory chimney II stood for years
Unfinished, II Is now one Of the wonderful
things u the EARTH speaking through its
magnificent size and its symmetry of the
strong and symmetrical men who won our
liberties in the field Of war. and who di-
rected the early footsteps of the infant
republic Here in its towering height is
the beginning Of our history, and yondCr on
The hill which we have Just left is the home
OF todays republic. the palace of the law
which reigns over ali, over those who de-
cree and interpret II well as over the
humhiest dweIler of'the wooden huts which
cluster at the feet of power and magnfi-
Cence, and many Of which are the homes
OF the negroes whose very numbers and
whose manners are reminders of the time
reminders that are more fOrceful here
than elsewhere-Of the great strides by
which the nation made its way from slave
power 10 absolutely free government
Between these two. from history to the
present. one can walk through shaded
parks that are profusey rich in trees for
the soil Of this part Of the country is very
generous to trees, nOUrishing them so kind
ly that they grow 10 enormous size and TO
great beauty of form: and among the trees
IN these parks. besides other Interesting
suggestions Of the character and power Of
the country. Is the building of the ACricuI-
tural Department. the department which
concerns itself with that which tends most
to the making Of our wealth. which is the
sustaining force Of land, with that
which means homes and food and which
for many years has furnished the bulk of
the cargOes for our foreign commerce. Tn
der tn=se trees, Also is he Smithsonian In
stitute and the National Museum, gather
trg places for the chronological history of
the country and for much else which sug-