The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-13
The CAPITALS RECORD
Senator HOar's Review of Events
That Have Passed.
History Made Here for Hundred
Years by Free PeopIe-travc
Problems Solved with Proper Self
observation-disclosures md Duty in the
Main Guided National Policies.

Main Guided National Policies
| Senator Hoar of Massachusetts deliv-
cred the closing address OF the Centenn al
b Celebration exercises in the H u-e OF
Representatives yesterday. 1t was in the
nature of historic review of the events
that have passed in the Capital OF the
nation since it was established Senator
Hoar said:
1T is hundred years since this city,
planned by George Washington. became
the seat of government The site was
chosen by the First Congress, in accord
with the design Of the trainers of the Con-
stitution. And yet we seem today to be
still engaged in laying its foundations.
The other great capitals of the world
Rome. London, Paris. Berlin, Edinburgh.
Vienna-have their origin in remote
past. They not only embody the earliest
authentic history of their countries. but
their beginning is lost in the darkness OF
antiquity or hidden in the mist of fable
Their early annals have persisted In a
deeper oblivion than that which covers the
builders OF the pyramids, which moved Sir
Thomas Browne to his sublimest utter
ance: History sinketh beneath her cloud.
The traveller. as he paceth amazedly
! through these deserts, asketh of her, Who
builded them? and she mumbleth some
thing. but what it is he heareth not
But Washington Is still in earliest
youth. There are Americans living who
were born before this city received its
name. For the first fifty years and more,
down to the end of the civil war. our fru-
gal predecessors hardly expended enough
to make it decently habitable. They ex-
pended nothing for its adornment, except
the construction of this Capitol. which was
| not finished in its present condition until
1861. But, taking the century as whole.
certainly the American people have no
reason to be ashamed of their CITY,
1T was on the border line between the
two eontending parties in the civil war.
The fires Of that mighty conflict burned
here more fiercely and holly than any
where ajse. When peace came, Washing
ton, like the whole country, felt the in
spiration Of the new era. -
Before, she like some shepherdess did show
Who sat to battle her by rivers side;
Not answering to her fame, but rude and low,
Nor taught the beauteous arts of modern pride.
Now, like maiden queen. she will behold,
From her high trrrets, hourly suitors come:
Th,. east with incense, and the west with gold,
viii stand, like suppliants, to receive her doom.
Three Typical Structures.
81 have spoken of the antiquity of Eu-
ropean capitals. London has been cen
ire of civilization for more than twelve
hundred years. The House Of Commons
has existed for eight hundred. There has
been Bishops palace at Fulham more
than thousand. Paris has been a seat
of government for thirteen centuries;
Berlin for nearly four; Vienna for seven.
And yet there are few places than can
show for any one century more than
three products of architecture that equal
the Capitol, the Washington Monument,
and the Congressional Library. If we can
add to the glories of Washington three
such structures only for each coming
century, we need not be ashamed or COM
parison with any foreign city when Wash
ington shall have reached the same age.
Yet in 1900 we were people of but $780,,
900. We are now 77,000.00n. The popula-
ton of this District is mui .iplied in larger
proportion still. We shall deal with our
metropolis in the coming centuries. as
compared with that which has gone, with
a liberality proportional ~ our wealth,
numbers, and power. II od spare the
Republic, what may we not hope for
Washington?
These three structures, unriyaled, as
they are, each in its respective class, are
more interesting still for what they
typify and stand for The Monument to
the Father of the Country is but SIM
pie shaft. II marks narrow spot. 1t
commentaries a single human character.
But the spot it marks, as was said. Mr..
Speaker, by one of the most accomplish
ed men who ever sat in your chair, is a
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 yonder obelisk. Integrity and
patriotism are to be measured by near
ness to 1t or departure from it. Boast
fulness, out of place everywhere, is a
thousand times out Of place when we
speak of the modest and unselfsh Wash
ington. Yet we can establish by the con-
current authority of the foremost men of
all civilized countries that what the old
monk, Joseph of Exeter, said of the En-
glish Alfred is true of him: The Old
World knows not his peer. nor will the
future show us his equal; he alone tow
ers over other kings. better than the PAST
ones. and greater than those that are to
be-
THAT integrity, that unambitious ser
vice. that unerring wisdom, that unwear-
led industry. that unhesitating selfsacri-
fee, that purity not only unsulied but
untempted-not even the temptation to
sin seems to have beset that lofty ma
ture-were all his. The devil is an ass
But he never was such an ass as to waste
his time tempting George Washington.
There is no time today to cite the
overwhelming and concurrent testimony
of great Engllshmen, statesmen, and writ