The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-13

to make a radical change of government
in 1874, abolishing the elective franchise
and providing temporarily a government
by three Commissioners. at the same
time guaranteeing the interest ard rrinci-
pal OF the bonds issued COR rhe new i'm
provements, and providing for the rrepa-
ration Of a permanent form of govern
ment, and plan of dividing the pay
ment of expenses between The United
States and the District of Columbia. -Four
wears later these pledges were redeemed
in the act of June H. 1878, which the
United States Supreme Court has called
the Constitution of the District It pro-
vided in place of the Governor and Legs-
lature board Of three Commissioners. 10
be appointed by the President. and to
execute the laws of Congress. with the
equitable provision that Congress should
appropriate for 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-
sentation is the principle of government,
l. is generally admitted that for the Dis
rrict OF Columbia the present form of gov
eminent is the best possible. Under it
the District has doubled in population and
in wealth. Under it it has become the
Free from the slightest Suspicion of
scandal, successive Boards of Commission
crs 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
lasting criticism. The compact between
the National Government and he people
of the District of Columbia for the equal
division of its expenses has worked so
we'll 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 countrymen everywhere that the
needs of the National Capital shall be
generously met. They agree that no mig
gard hand should minister to the Ma
tons City, and that regardless of outlay,
save that it 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 for
the District, or, in the language of the
United States Supreme Court in 1890, the
final judgment of Congress as TO the sys-
TEN of government which should obtain.
Like all human systems, it has its i;nper-
fections in theory and il practice but for
its purpose it comes nearer TO an ideal
standard than any other of its kind.
Its greatest virtue is that it is dis
tinctly a government by public opinion.
The unusually high intelligence of the
citizens of the District. and their remark
able interest and activity in the conduct
of its affairs, makes them its real rulers,
under the constitutional authority OF the
President and Congress.
THE very character OF the District OF
Columbia as the seat of the National Gov
er1ment makes part of its life the his
tory Of that Government in the century
now closing the most remarkable since
b the first OF our era. Every President, ex-
cept George Washington, has performed
rhe duties Of his great Office the greatest
IN the world. within these walls. Every
Congress since the Fifth has done its work
in the Capitol There, too the Supreme
Court Of the United States has rendered all
Its decisions since the day when John Mar
shall became its Chief Justice. Simply to
mention the names OF John Adams and
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and
James Monroe and John Quincy Adams and
Andrew jackson. and then OF Abraham Lin
coin and Ulysses S. Grant. brings before
the mind a throng OF great deeds done in
this very house. Think OF the expansion
Of the country by successive acts of the
Presidents, beginning with Jefferson. Think
Of the negotiations with foreign powers. of
the war-makirg and OF the peace-making,
% 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 Of the whole world
were for the frst tine fixed upon the Capt.
tai Of the United States. Time would fail
10 tell the mere story Of the great Presi-
dents who have made history in the Dis
irict OF Columbia.
When We 60 to the Capitol this after
noon We shall be reminded of the great
Senators and Representatives and judges
who have won lasting fame by their SER
vices to the country here. Their memo
rable acts. speeches. and opinions are
events In its history as well as in the
history OF the country. These illustri-
Gus men. who have made executed, and
interpreted our national laws for hun
dred years, belong to the District OF Co.
iumbia. as we'll as to the States that
sent them here. They have been the
dominant element in the life of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. and have given its So
ciety peculiar character.
Failure of Washington.
THE District of Columbia. coming to
The manhood of States, at the opening OF
the twentieth century. looks forward TO
a larger and nobier career as the Capital
OF the Nation which has grown in its
short life to be the greatest in the world.
At the beginning of the nineteenth CEN
fury it was the Capital OF an iil-deined
quarter Of the present United States.
with population one-fourteenth that OF
the present, and despised by Europe. The
flag waved nowhere on the Gulf of Next
CO, or west Of the Mississippi, and only
in scattered settlements west OF the Allie
ghenies. The locomotive the telegraph,
the telephone, and almost all the other
great mechanical inventions were yet to
come. The country and the Government
were alike poor. There was no Ameri-
lean literature. there was no American
art, there was no American music, there
was no American press.
AT the beginning Of the twentieth Gen.
fury the District Of Columbia is the Capt. |
tai Of a mighty nation whose flag bright |
ems and controls the far Pacific. as well |
as the near Atlantic; that holds the |
headship Of this hemisphere and leads !
among the Powers of the world. all coy |,
citing its favor; enriched at home with the |
material blessings which its myriad in
Ventors and industrial chieftains have he |
slowed upon all mankind, and proud OF |
The literary, artistic and musical achieve
nents OF its sons and daughters. Made |
one out of many in the fires Of civil war L