The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-12

to meet the obligations which the neglect
of the National Government imposed upon
them in peace and in war.
To meet the local needs considerable
commercial and manufacturing interest
developed with the growth OF the city, and
gradually the taxable wealth increased
so that by 1850 It amounted to S54T per
capita The civil war wrought great
changes here. Fer the second time the
ed in practical legislation by the creation
OF q metropolitan police force. Tbs exi-
gencies of the @ar times compelled IN 9TH
er ways the recognition of the fact that
there vas a District Of Columbia But
Congress was too busy to take up any gen.
erai scheme for its improvement until ten
years later, when, by the act Of February
q, 1871, it created a territorial form Of
government. with Governor and Legis-
lature, the Governor and the upper cham
Der to be appointed by the President, to-
gether with a Board of Public Works and q
Board Of Health. while the House Of Dele
gates was TO be elected by the male efrt-
zens-
Substantial improvements Begun.
with this act begins the second chap
/ ter of the Districts history and its real
/ existence under q substantial government.
In three years the District was transform
1 ed, largely through the energy and enter
I prise OF one nan IN the new government
/ All that should have been done toward the
4 Improvement OF the District, and especial
I ~ the city of washington, according TO
/ Washington's plan in seventy years, was
/ done in half that many months The Dis
! trict WAS saved from being. like the then
unfinished WASHINGTON Monument. dis
grace rather than a credit to the great
/ founder. It was literally redeemed and
given beauty for ugiinesS and wealth for
poverty. But the FIRST work was done
! roughly, hastily, Though thoroughly, and II
naturally reused strong opposition, and
! for the time bring vas misunderstood
l people saw the comparatively Urge in
! debtedness it created, rather than / he in
comparsbly large results it ensured, and
many OF them felt personal resentment as
well as righteous anger against some OF
/ the workers. Between the private griefs,
and the public Indignation, and certain
amount OF political feeling, there was
pressure enough on Congress to induce II
/ to make q radical change Of government
in 1874, aboiishing the elective franchise
/ and providing temporarily a government
by three Commissioners, at the same
/ time guaranteeing the interest and princi-
pal of the bonds Issued FOR rhe new i'm
provements. and providing for the Trepa-
ration Of a permanent form OF govern
ment and a plan of dividing the pay
/ neHE OF expenses QFLHSSA GLft GAA+G~t
! States and the District of Columbia. Four
years later these pledges were redeemed
in the act of June II, 1873, which the
United States Supreme Court has called
/ the Constitution Of the District It pro-
| vided in place OF the Governor and Legis-
lature board CT three Commissioners, to
be appointed by the President, and to
execute the laws OF Congress, with the
/ equitable provision that Congress should
appropriate fot, the expenses half from
/ the District tax funds and half from
! the National Treasury. Although many
good citizens have regretted that in The
/ National Capital taxation without repre-
seatation is the principle OF government,
it is generally admitted that for the Dis
| trict OF Columbia the present form of gov
erRment is the best possible Under II
| the District has doubled in population and
| in wealth. Under it it has become the
! most beautiful Capital IN the world
/ Free from the slightest suspicion OF
/ scandal successive Boards of Commission
ers of the highest character have admin
! istered the affairs OF the District more
efficiently and economically than the af-
/ fairs of any other American municipality
have been administered. and to such gen
eral satisfaction that there has been no
4 lasting criticism. The compact between
! the National Government and The people
! Of the District OF Columbia for the equal
! division OF its expenses has worked so
! well that no adverse comment is now
made upon It
/ Present System of Government.
las the larger patriotism makes the
| nation dearer than the State, so the Capt.
| tai OF the Nation claims the allegiance OF
the citizens of every other city, even
| above that which he gives to his own city
This is recognized in the growing desire
Of our countrymeR everywhere that the
needs of the National Capital shall be
/ generously met They agreethat no mig
| gard hand should minister to the Ma
items City, and that regardless of outlay,
save that IL shall be wise, she shall be
kept the most beautiful Capital in the
world
after twenty-five years Of experience
the present Government is recognized as
( being in the language of the act Of 1878,
the permanent form OF Government fer
the District, or, in the language OF the
/ United States Supreme Court IN $780, the
/ final judgment of Congress as to the sys-
+ tenn Of Government which should obtain
/ Like ali human systems. 1t has its imper-
fsetions in theory and IN practice, but for
its purpose it comes nearer to an ideal
standard than any other Of its kind.
It's greatest virtue Is that it IS dis
tinctfv a Government by public opinion.
The unusually high intelligence of the
Citizens CT [96 BlStrlcf, anu their remark
able interest and activity in the conduct
Of its affairs, makes them its real rulers,
under the coasti: utionai authority Of the
President and Congress.
The very character Of the District OF
Columbia as the seat OF the National Gov
erarnen8 makes q part OF its life The his
tory Of that Government in the century
now closing. the most remarkable since
the first OF our era. Every President ex-
cept George Washington, has performed
tina duties Of his great Office, the greatest
IN the world within these walls Every
Congress since the Fifth has done its work
n the Capitol. There, too, the Supreme
Court OF the United States has rendered ali
Its decisions since the daT when John Mar
shall became its Chief Justice Simply to
mention the names OF John Adams and
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and
James Moaroe and John Quincy Adams aud
andrew jackson, and then OF Abraham Lin
coin and Ulysses s.. Grant, brings before
the mind tkrong OF great deeds done In
this very house Think OF the expansion
OF the country by successive acts Of the
i Presidents beginning with Jefferson Think
OF the negotiations with foreign powers. OF
/ the 8ar-makiEg and Of the peace-making,
| Of the formulation Of far-reaching policies.
! and Of all the dealings With Congress by
! President after President Think what
went On here under President Lincoln
alone when the eyes CT the whole world
were for the first time Eyed rJroft tta Cant