Evening star., 1900-02-21
Celebration Of the Capital Centennial
Will Occur That Month.
MEETING OF COMMITTEE TODAY
Plans Proposed and Taken Under
Consideration.


anniversary of the removal of the seat of
government to the District of Columbia
was taken today when the committee desig-
mated by law and created by the action of
the two houses of Congress and of the citi-
zens of the District assembled in the par
lors of the. Arlington.
The hour named for the assembling of
the committee was II O'Clock, and before
that time the members began to assemble
Commissioner John B. Wight. the chairman
of the citizens committee, and Mr.. w. V.
Cox, the secretary of the committee, to-
sether with Mr.. W. P. Van Wickle the as
sistant secretary, were on hand promptly
and they received the distinguished men
as they came in. The members seemed to
be pretty we'll acquainted with each other,
and scattered about the suite of parlors
We're groups engaged in animated CONVEX
saton.
Welcomed by Comm iSsiOHer Wight.
Shortly after II o'clock President John
B. Wight called the meeting to order, and
after stating that the first business was
the election OF a presiding officer, he added
that he would take the opportunity to
greet and welcome the governors of the
states and territories to the city.
History of the Movement.
He then submitted two reports one an
exceedingly interesting history of the move
ment to celebrate the capital citys centen-
nial, and the other submitting the plan pro-
posed by the citizens committee of the Dis
trict for the celebration.
In rapid review of the history of the
movement Mr., Wight stated that it had its
inception in the fall of 1898. Pursuant to
newspaper notices ard specially addressed
calls public meeting OF citizens of the
District was held October 2i 1898, in the
Lehman building. resolution was adopt
ed declaring it to- be the sense of the meet
ing that the citizens of Washington should
celebrate the centennia, anniversary Of the
District becoming the seat of government
and requesting the chairman to appoint a
committee of nine, the chairman eX-of1i
clio to be member. to consider and outline
plans for the proper and fitting celebration
of this anniversary.
Mr.. Wight then proceeded to say that
this committee at once reached the cOnclu-
sion that as the proposed celebration re-
lated TO the establishment of the national
capital ii should be national in character,
and for this reason, before determining
upon any plans it was decided to confer
with the President of the United States.
This was done and the President announced
his intention of calling the subject to the
attention of Congress.
Mr.. Wight went on to say that a public
meeting of the citizens was called, which
was held at Willard Hall December II,
1898, and at this meeting the committee
made report of what had been done since
its organization. The report was adopted
and the committee was authorized to act
with the committee changed to the present
form.
The meeting today was, therefore, the
coming together for the first time of the
District centennial committee, and in sew
eral respects 1t was a notable event.
These original plans have been wrought
out with a constant progress and a signal
success even beyond anything their trainers
could have foreseen. The people of the
country are justly proud of the distinctive
beauty and government OF the capital, and
of the rare Instruments of science and edu-
cation which here find their natural home.
ga movement lately inaugurated by the
citizens to have the anniversary celebrated
with fitting ceremonies, including, perhaps
the establishment of a handsome. perma-
nent memorial to mark so historical an oc
casion and to give it more than local re-
cognitiOn has met with general favor on
the part of the public
''On December I, 1893. a resolution was
introduced in the United States Senate and
unanimously agreed to as follows:
That a committee of seven senator's be
appointed by the chair to whom shall be re-
ferred much of the Presidents mes
fitting ceremonies of the centennial ami
versary of the founding of the city of
Washington for a permanent capital of the
government of the United States
House and Senate Committees.
"On December 10 following the Vice
President appointed the following named
senators as a select committee on the CEN
tennial celebration authorized by the above
resolution: George +. Hoar of Massachu-
setts, Eugene Hale of Maine George c.
Perkins of California, Joseph Simon of Ore
gon, John L. McLaurfn of South Carolina
Alexander s. Clay of Georgia and Thomas
L. Turley Of Tennessee.
''At his own request Senator Hoar was re-
lieved from duty on the committee on jan
uary A. 1900 and Senato James Mcmillan
of Michigan was appointed by the President
Pro Tenn. of the Senate, on February 16.
1900, to succeed to the vacancy.
'On December 6, 1893, in the United States
House of Representatives, much of the
Presidents message as related to the CEN
tennial celebration was referred to the
committee on appropriations; and on Feb.
ruary "a 1899. resolution was introduced
in the House providing for the appointment
et committee Of ten members by the
on the centennial celebration. This resolu-
ton. however. failed to pass, and no COM
mittee from the House was appointed until
december u, 1888. when the following re-
solution was agreed to:
Resolved, That a committee of ten men1-
bers of the House be appointed by the
with the committees which have been an
pointed by the President. the Senate or
from the citizens of the District of Column
bla to prepare plans for an appropriate ma
tional celebration in the year 1900 of the
first session of Congress in the District of
Columbia and the establishment of the seat
of government therein"
In accordance with this resolution, on De-
tember IL, following, the Speaker of the
House, Mr.. Henderson, appointed the fol-
icwfng-named representatives as members
OF the select committee on the establish
ment of the seat of government in WASH
fngton: j. d. Cannon of Illinois. William w
Grout of Vermont, Joel p. HeatwoIe of
Minnesota, James S. Sherman of New York,
Jemes A. Homenway of Indiana Robert J.
Gamble of South Dakota, ]. w. Bailey of
Texas, Marion Devries of California, WIZ
| liam s. Cowherd of Missouri John C. Bell
| of Colorado.
The Committee at Large.
"on February %. 1899, the following act
( was approved by the President:
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
| of Representatives of the United States If
| America in Congress assembled, the Presi-
| dent is authorized to appoint a committee
| from the country at large, of such a num-
| ber as he shall think proper, to act with
| any committees that may be appointed by
| the two houses of Congress, or either of
| them, and with any committee that may be
/ appointed from the citizens of the District
Continued on Eleventh Pags)