Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-02
Citizens Association and Mr.. John
R. Mclean as Hosts.
LEADING CITIZENS IN ATTENDANCE
Addresses by the District Com
missioners and Others.
LIST OF THOSE PRESENT

Friendship" the country home of Mr..
John r. Mclean ON the Tenleytown road,
was last night the gathering place of the
Citizens Northwest Suburban Association.
There were present many prominent men
of affairs in the District as guests of the
association and Mr.. Mclean. The meeting,
after the transaction of some routine bust
ness, developed into reception to the Dis
trict Commissioners Messrs. H. B. F. Mac
farland and John w. Ross, and Major John
Biddle, all Of whom were In attendance.
The meeting was held in the large recep-
ton room of the quaint old house on Mr.
McLeans beautiful estate. The room was
handsomely decorated with chrysanthe-
NUNS. Mr.. c. =. Lancaster, president of
the association presided and introduced the
speakers of the evening. During the bust
ness session a resolution was passed direct
ing the president to appoint committee to
appear before the Commissioners and urge
some action on the associations plea for
public improvements. A resolution request
ing the railroad company to run through
cars from Tenleytown to the center of the
city was also adopted.
When the routine matters had been dis
posed of President Lancaster made a brief
speech, in which he referred to the po-
litical turmoil now in New York city,
with charges of corruption everywhere fly
ing through the air. He spoke of the de.
light of living in a city like Washington,
where such a strife is unknown and where
the honesty and integrity of the governing
powers cannot be questioned. Mr. Lancas-
ter concluded by introducing Mr.. Macfar-
land, president of the board of District
Commissioners, who was enthusiastically
greeted.
Mr.. Macfarland's Address.
Mr.. Macfarland, after few words of
personal preface, happily spoken, said he
would like to say few serious words to
the citizens present.
The noblest sort of heart is that COM
posed of the united will of many citizens"
he quoted, and then continued: THAT is
the kind of heart that the District of Co.
lumbia has. 1t is distinctvely govern
ment. not by party nor by faction, but of
all the people, by all the people, for all the
people. 1t is the only complete govern
ment by public opinion in the United
States. The Commissioners, the executive
authority, the Congress, the legislative
authority, act under the power of public
opinion. This makes it the duty of every
citizen to help form that public opinion by
association with other citizens, by disinter-
ested suggestions, by impartial criticism,
favorable as well as unfavorable. and by
generous support of all movements for the
common good. Hence the unusual number
of organizations Of citizens and the general
feeling that the best citizen is the one who
takes the most interest in public affairs.
AS one OF the commissioners, as one OF
your official representatives before Con-
gress, l have an increased respect for the
public-spirited citizens who give so free
ly their time and labors In the public inter-
est, and an Increased appreciation of the
value of their support. In SO far as such
efforts are disinterested and harmonious
they will be effective. They must be made
with breadth of view They must be made
in the interest of the whole District. For
example, the best way to advance the
northwest section is to advance the entire /
District of Columbia One section cannot
be advanced at the expense of other Sec
tions, but all must march together. Natu-
rally, the needs of each section will be
most strongly presented by its own citi- !
zens, But, when that has been done, and
the Commissioners, who must consider the |
needs of all sections in their efforts to |
promote the interest of all, must have the |
united support of all citizens in presenting
to Congress their conclusions as to the |
wants of the District. 1t is most crafty |
ing to acknowledge that more and more the |
commissioners received such support from
the citizens, and that the District is more |
and more benefited by it. This Is already
in many respects the finest capital in the |
world. But we are working together to |
make It more beautiful and better equip |
ped. We are working with confident hope |
because the time has come, as we all real |
lied at our centennial celebra ton when |
the country and therefore Congress de-
slres to make the national capital all that
II ought to be-
Commissioner Ross Introduced.
Following Mr.. Macfarland President Ian
caster introduced Commissioner Ross. He |
paid a high tribute to Mr.. Ross, speaking
of his long term as a Commissioner and
the valued service he has rendered the Dis
trict. Mr.. Ross was greeted with prolonged
applause. He said he believed in citizens
associations, and said they were necessary
under the present form of government If
the citizens could not meet together and
thlir ali i,,i
regard to public matters they would have
no recourse whatever. Mr.. Ross said the
citizens associations had helped the Com
miSsioners wonderfully with advice and
suggestions, and had reflected the wishes
and the views of the whole people of the
District of Columbia.
Mr. Ross said it was gratifying to see the
SUBURBAN sections of the District building
up so rapidly. Soon, he declared, the emil
nences about the city will all be covered
with buildings. He regretted, however that
the residences We're going up in blocks of
houses, instead of in an isolated system
He said that in the blocks of houses the
ventilation was comparatively slight, and
tnere were no roomy yards in which the
children might play. Mr.. Ross spoke of
the Commissioners visit to Buffalo in Sep
TENDER, when he noticed in driving over
the city that all the residences were built
separately. with large grounds surround
ing. He did not notice a single block of
residences. He wished that such a condi-
ton might be brought about in the city of
Washington. for only In that respect was
the capital second to other cities of the
world.
Mr.. Ross spoke last Of the aid that the
citizens of the District might afford the
Commissioners in helping to secure a civil
service system in the District government
he SAID there was daily a stream of people
seeking positions, and the consideration of
their applications and recommendations oc-
cuped an undue amount of the Commits
sioners' time, which should be given over