New-York tribune., 1900-12-12
4 LESSON FROM WASHINGTON

The celebration to-day of the centenary of
the Federal City-as the National capital was
al trst called-is cOmmcndable from more than
one point of view. Americans have hitherto.
and not without reason. incurred the reprOach
Of being too little regardful of times and places.
The comparative youth of the Nation and the
intense zeal OF the people FOR improving the
pecnniary poUentialities of the present moment
have initiated against the observance of ami
Versaries and the preservation or erection of
memorials historic spots Some scornful
comment has been excited by the marked multi
plicaton of patriotic societies" i'm recent years
hut il is i'll conceived. These organizations. or
most Of them, are doing an inestimably valu-
able work in filling gaps in historical records.
preserving worthy landmarks erecting memo
rials Of great deeds and in general stimulating
popular interest in the history and achievements
Of our own land and people. In line With such
work 1t Is well 10 commemorate the one hun
dredth anniversary Of the establishment of the
seat of government at Washington. and it will
he we'll If the incident shall lead TO a wider ac
quaintance Of the people with the. story Of the
various Federal cities.
IL is no doubt vaguely remembered that the
Continental Congress sat chiefly at Philadel-
phia: that New-IOrk was the first Federal capi-
government was thence transferred TO PhiladeI-
Phia and finally to Washington. Few proba bly,
are conversant with the reasons and details of
these various selections and changes. while to
most the story of Trenton's Federal CITY"
which we published the other day must seem
like the resurrection Of a forgotten tale Ii
will he well 10 remember in this time of exuIta-
ton over our National growth the opBosjtion
THAI was made a century ago TO placing the
capital 80 far out in the wilderness as the shore
OF the Potomac. and the many efforts that were
subsequently made 10 have il transferred to
some place less remote from the mass of popu-
iation and more readily accessible, Such efforts
were continued at Intervals down almost TO the
middle or the century. and then. after an in
terval, were succeeded BY Others for the re-
mOyal of the capital much further 10 the West.
/ in order 10 keep in touch with the unmistak
able course of empire" II is an impressive
fact that some men who protested against
Washington as being too far away in the
Western wilderness" lived TO protest against
1t as being too far 10 the east of the centro ~
population" Volumes could scarcely ba marc
eloquent concerning the growth OF the Re-
public.
There is another lesson from the National
capital OF local application 10 New-York and
"i Harkeu pertlnence to-day. All who have
read history know how strongly Major rEnfant
was opposed when he sought to lay out Wash
lngton somewhat after the spacious ana
srandiose plan OF old Versailles Many now Nv
ING remember when Washington was derisivsIv
called the City Of Magnificent Distances - To-
Gay there are still some vacant spaces IN ,ts
map. But there Is nothing more certain ana
hothing more generally recognized than tba,
MAYOR Tf'nfants most extended concen,toDs
were nothing more than n reasonable nravis,or
OF inc iniure and provision for it's needs and
lhai any less generous scheme Of city building
would have heen a monstrous bh,ndar I'm,
agine ms Nations capital to-day designed afte,
contracted eheckerboard. with the Capitol
.r, .u n.e House fronting on a sixty-foot street
INC lAtoierabie impropriety OF such a state ot
Affairs IS patent. The commendabilitv AZ Ntsio,
IEnfant IN having an eye TO the future ,s obvi
Gus ana vet that impressive object lesson. 50
j apparHnf 10 an ~ Washington and "a dirac,,,