Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1900-12-20
AMERICA rs PRAISED.
Noted Speakers Tell of the Great
Developments of a Century.
Congressman Payne Tells Bow Hamilton
and Jefferson Traded for the Capital
Site-Senator Daniel and Gov. Shaw
the Republics Greatness.

Oh the ESSpuOtIc-S UrGatnSS-s
Washington, Dec 13.-At the joint
meeting of the house and senate We'd
nesday to observe the centennial ami
versary of the location of the capital
at Washington, speeches were made
by several men of national reputation.
President Pro Tenn. Frye, of the sen
ate, presided.
''The future of the United States
and its capital was the topic as
signed to Senator John W. Daniel, of
Virginia. Ancient history, he said,
had no precedent for the United
States of America and modern his
tory has no parallel. Our domain is
the best located. Our longevity pro-
jects itself to the sarthest reach Of
human speculation and the future is
gorgeous with every sign of hope and
courage. The senator referred to the
hearty feelings of friendship the peo-
pie have for each other, to the valor
of the American soldier and to the
strength of our electoral system as
exhibited by the experience of over
century. If our problems be
mighty they grow out of our might
and have the mighty to deal with
them.
Representative Serene E. Payne, of
New York, next delivered an interest
ing account of the controversy that
finally resulted in the location of the
capital city on the Potomac, going
at some length into the struggles that
| were made by the different states for
the honor. Particular reference was
| made to the political shrewdness dis
| played by Hamilton and Jefferson in
connection with it's final location.
| Hamilton's financial measure for the
assumption by the nation of the debts
| incurred by the states in maintaining
! the revolutionary war had failed, and
| Hamilton, believing that the very ex-
/ istence of the union depended upon
| it's consideration and passage, was
! making strenuous endeavOrs to accom-
| plish that result. Virginia and the
south had voted against it. Hamil-
| ton proposed compromise. Jefferson
| should help pass the assumption act
| and Hamilton would bring over
| enough votes to put through the act
! locating the seat of government on
| the Potomac. How this was brought
/ about Mr.. Payne told in Jefferson's
\ own words and added: ''This incident
| removes some of the glamour which
| time has thrown over the acts of the
fathers and reveals them to us Us
| human beings, no better than the pol
| iticians of to-day
Leslie M. Shaw, of Iowa, had for
| his subject ''The development of the
/ states during the century 1S00-1900."
Gov. Shaw said that the close of the
| most remarkable century in the fight
of time finds Americans the best
housed, the best fed, the best clothed.
| the best educated, the best churched,
the most pro1tably employed and
the happiest because the most hopeful
] of any people at any time or under
| any sky. Marvellous are the pages of
| their history; unprecedented and I'M
| paralleled the record of their achieve
naents; great and honorable the an
malls of their deeds. Dentiny or mans
wisdom, cali it which you will, has
placed both Asia and the islands of the
sea under American tuition and has
made the flag of freedom the har-
binger of better things to 9,00o,0O0,000
| of people, the natural distributing
point for whose more than $4,000, 0OO,-
| 600 commerce is under the sovereignty
| of the United States.