North Park union., 1900-12-21
WASHINGTON cITY'S GREAT
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

which the continental army OF WASH
inrton had achieved the Independence
OF the American Republic. while con-
fronting the audience back OF the
speakers desk was the beautiful silk
nag Of the Republic, and from II,
stretching away on either side over the
paintings of Lafayette and Washing
ton. blaz..d the stars and stripes. The
hags of the continental army, many OF
which were old and tattered. had been
brought from the War Department for
| the occasion.
The address of Mr.. Payne of New
York. the floor leader of the majority
| In the House, on '.the Establishment Of
the Seat of Government in the District
Of Columbia" afforded an interesting
glimpse into the political Vaccinations
of the forefathers and received atten-
ton.
Senator McComas OF Maryland. fol
lowed with an address on '.rhe History
OF the First Century of the National
Capital
1t also was well received.
The fervid eloQuence of Senator Dan
lei. who spoke oil ''The Future OF the
United States and Its Capital" re-
peatedly aroused the assemblage to ap-
plause
The closing address Of Senator Hoar
entitled Historical Address," was n
scholarly effort In the best vein Of the
Massachusetts, statesman. In opening
lie spoke impressively Of the antiquity
Of the European capitals, compared
with the youth of that Of the American
Republic. London. he said. had been
center of civilization for more than l.
100 years: Paris the seat of government
for thirteen centuries; Berlin for near
ly four and Vienna for seven cen
turtles.
And yet" he said, there are few
places that can show for any one CEN
tury more than three products Of arch
itecture thnt equal the capitol. the
Washington monument and the Con-
gressional library. II we can ndd to
the glory of Washington three such
structures only for each coming CEN
tury, we need not be ashamed of COM
parison with any foreign city when
Washington shall have reached the
same age. II God spare the Republic,
what may be hope for Washington?
These three structures. unrivalled
as they are. each for It's respective
class. are more interesting still for
whnt they typIfy. The monument 30
! the father OF the country is but sim
pie shaft. II marks Il narrow spot. 1t
commentaries II single human charac-
ter. But the spot 1t marks. as was said,
Mr.. Speaker. by one of the most ac-
complished men who ever sat In your
chair, is prime meridian The prime
meridian of universal longitude on sea
or land may be at Greenwich. or at
Paris, or where you will. But the
prime meridian OF pure. exalted human
character Will be marked forever by
yonler obelisk. Integrity and patriot
Ism are 10 he measured by the nearness
to II. or departure from 1t.
1.-THE whole city is In n larger sense
n Washington monument. 1t were bet
ter that that great name should pass
forver into Oblivion and he forgotten
unless the walls of this building where
we are assembled. dedicated to legis-
latlon and to Justice. also bear honor
able witness to the character and intiu-
ence of him who laid its cornerstone"
With sweeping words Senator Hoar
then proceeded to paint the great
achievements of the country. the
glories which had crowned 1t. the or
deals through which 1t had passed. the
growth OF literature. art and science
which had advanced with the years,
and concluded as follows:
1.-THE men who wrought this great
work are gone-most OF them. A few
OF their companions and cOadjutors sur
vive to behold the dawn of the new
century md give their counsel to the
people who are to carry on its work,
as n few of the companions Of WASH
ingtOn beheld the beginning OF this,
and inaugurated Its great accomplish
ments on the principles OF the RevOlu-
tion. Their work also Is about done.
They seem TO survive for brief period
only. that the new century may clasp
hands with the old. and that they may
bring to the future the benedlction Of
the past