Evening star., 1900-12-12
WASHINGTON, 1900.

"AShINGTON, l9OO.
Written for The Evening Star by W. J. Herber
Hogan.
Queen city OF the western hemisphere,
Thou city beautiful: fair Washington.
On this anspicious day. with festal rites
We celebrate thy first centennial.
A hundred years, The time that spans thy life,
Forms the most wondrous century of all
That skill VI chronologers have taken note
Better fifty years OF Europe
Than a cycle Of Cathay''
The greatest skad of later times has sung
May We not pr araphrase his lines and say:
Better the century that counts thy years
Than long millenniums in other lands?
The Older peoples often mock youth
But without boastiTfg. We may well retort:
One busy day excels u sluggard's year ,
Besides their jibes groundiess and unfair:
Our fathers fathers. In the lire direct
Were their torefathers. too and we are heirs
Equal with them. of every noble deed
OF every work OF meritorious skill;
or every sacred spot and honored name.
Belonging TO the race from which sprung
But this Inheritance hold most dear
Comes frcm the distafr side. and proud are.
Though but rural dame. of thrifty stock
To vaunt our mothers name. America
Therefore. dear Kindred from across the sea.
Here you can have no claim collateral,
But vou welcome, cousins to our feast
Come, join with us in making holiday
Behold the work. wrought in hundred years!
Time. scarcely. Il cathedral to complete;
Yet these majestic piles Of masonry
Cresting the hills along Poomac's shore
With all their priceless treasures of art
OF science and OF cunning handcraft
Not counting stores of silver and of gold,
Are merely indiccs of toll sublime.
Performed by freemen in this land of ours.
And this is sacred ground not sanctifed
BY Time. who weayes her spells of mystery
% er crumblirS stones and mould ring beams of ohk
Fragments. perhaps of structures rich and grand
Whose mankind gladly would forget
But by th" memories OF noble men.
Whose words and deeds all future time shall bless
This place chosen by that man of men,
To whom the world. without dissenting voice.
CcL cCdcs the palm Hero, Patriot, Sage.
Here he designed city without walls
Whose mighty ramparts should lie loyal hearts,
And loving counrymen. with one consent,
Gave to their capital his hcnored name
That through uncount"d years of time To come
That name might live upon the lips of men.
OF all the host that gathered long ago
To see these firm foundl ltions truly laid.'
Not one could forecast such day this:
Not one with strong imaginations aid.
Could paint Ia words the magves behold
And we canno. conceive what they shall see,
Who at the citys next centennial.
Shah gather here In grand festivity;
But from propitous omens. manifest.
We catch prophetic glmpses, clear and bright,
That fill our hearts with joy exuberant.
Today the eyes of all the thinking world
greater world thar Alexander knew.
Or proud Augustus ruled,-turn htherward.
Expectantly, with 10 lging, eager gaze.
Hoping to catch froIa Freedoms sacred shrine
lrenlc signals. flashed around the earth
II, ,,;,l
The issues vast. affecting all mankind
Which they, for veal wue. must domra le!
realizing of dutys need.
Would move all citizens to emulate
The civic virtues Of their first great chief.
And make them worthy Cf the name they bear,
Nober exIonents Of true manliness
Than Rome could boast in her heroic age.
Then would America 5 transcendcnt power
Sweep Ger the world with such resistess force,
That naught could hinder its victorious
Not in red flames of devastating war,
Bnt like the beams of life creating light,
That shcne on chaos and beSat 4 world
Binding the hearts and minds of all mankind
In strong fraternal bonds, and teaching all.
To think ard labor for earths commonweal.
Already signs OF promise have been seen
Which seem to he foretokenS of the day
day within the coming century
Wien here. in this best city Of the west.
Shall gather embassies from all the world
To form the first great parliament Of man.
Oh city fair. On this thy natal day,
The people bring their greetings Of good will,
With wishes for prosperity and peace.
For centenaries manifold and glad.
And In the words of bard beloved cry:
Our hearts, hopes, are all with thee.
Are all with thee