The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18
A VIEW OF THE CAPITAL.
Western Notions Concerning the
GIorie- of Grcnt city.

tfFHm ihF hii-s~ Altt NtdEs)
Washington is the only capital OF great
country that is a capital and nothing else.
Paris is the capital OF France. but il is.
in many ways. enc OF the capitals Of the
world London is the capital Of Great
Britain and yet one might pass interest
ing weeks there and come away without
having seen the Houses of Parliament.
Berlin is the capital Of Germany. but it is.
also. q considerable portion Of Germany
itself. Washington is the capital Of the
United States. but. like the primrose by
the rivers bTim. il is nothing more. In
this regard 10 reminds one of those quarter
sections Of land in the West, which from
their geographical location or through the
chances OF war. have become county seats
and have never amounted to anything else.
George Washington. who was response
bic more than any other man. for the
present location Of the capital was not
city man. He was a planter. and his
home was far from the madding crowd.
He never saw anything larger than the
provincial towns Of New York and Phil
adeipha and could have known very lit
tie of the meaning of the world metropo-
lis He may have hoped that the COM
merce OF the Potomac would give The
United States capital some commercial i'm
portance, but it is not improbable that
Washiugton's conception Of. a seat OF Gov
eminent for the Republic was a somewhat
enlarged Annapolis. or even Williams
burg. a place he was accustomed TO visit
with his wife when he was a member OF
the Virginia House Of Burgessss-
As Washington was laid out, so il has
remained capiJai-all Of its interests,
past. present. and to come being govern
mental The business that draws the
permanent and transient population is
official and with the Government. Per
sons find the place pleasant who are con-
tent to look al houses in which officials
live and do business. and to gaze upon
two large rooms in great stone palace
filled with politicians. Much effort has
been made i'm the way OF putting down
asphalt and planting trees to alter the
appearance OF Washington. but the
leopard cannot change his spots By
singular provision of nature the govern
mental character of the town is annually
betrayed. Once a year the Government
gets up and leaves Washington. and
then it is perceived that there Is nothing
left Government subtracted from Wash
ingt0n leaves no remainder.
It is in the contract with every person
who goes to Washington to work for the
Government. from the President OF the
United States down. that he or she shall
have at least an annual furlOugh. vaca-
ton or leave OF absence. Whether they
20 TO Canton or SkOwhegan is inmate
rial so that they go away from Washing
ION. When this exodus takes place. the
departure Of the Congressman for the
arms Of his constituents being the signal,
Washington acquires the distinction Of be-
ing the loneliest capital on earth The
chiefs are lied and the council lodge is de-
serted. The vast avenues are fOrsaken bJ
man and beast. The spacious pleasure
grounds which the Government has tecrest
are left TO ancient Care-takers and garden
ers. who. amid the shady walks and leaf,
thlckets. remind one OF fauns and satyrs
Then the craven images. both mounted ant
On foot glare coldly at the infrequeni
passerby The heroes. in their bronze and
marble isolation. look as II they would
give much for a few moments c0nve-s8-
ion and human society. while above all
Use white and chill the two highest OBJ
Tets In WashinEton-the dome OF the
~apitol and the Washington Monument
he latter raised to the memory OF a dead
ero aud marking to the observer mile.
way the location Of a dead town.