Evening star., 1901-09-03

bequest. Yet it has an economic and COM
mercial development which surprises even
its own inhabitants with every census, and
1t has room and special facilities, without
endangering the peculiar advantages Of
Washington as a residence city, for the
large expansion of manufacturing enter
prises, while it has become a university
center, with twenty-five hundred collegiate
Students and, besides its colleges, possesses
those great mines for scientific research,
the government libraries and collections
with million volumes and thousands OIL
scientific treasures, which are now to be
made more accessible than ever to the
graduate student
The National Capital.
But the distinction Of the District of CO.
lumbia lies in the fact that it is more than
commercial or collegiate center-more,
even, than a place Of scientific research.
It is the national capital, the home Of the
national government, the official residence
of the President, his cabinet, the Supreme
Court the Congress and the ambassadors
and ministers of all the other governments
Of the world accredited to the United
ways will be, its distinctive glory. 1t had
this at its beginning hundred years ago,
when President John Adams announced
formally to Congress the transfer of the
then it had that fine society which it has
always had since, and that noble LIE, full
of interest and culture. of high pursuits
and great affairs. 1t has not the most
polyglot population, but 1t has the most
cosmopolitan interests in the United States.
All the Presidents except George Wash
ington, and all their cabinet officers, all
the chief justices from John Marshall
down and all their associates in the Su-
preme Court. all the Vice Presidents since
Jefferson, all the senator's and all the rep
reSentatives since the Fifth Congress, all
the ambassadors and ministers of foreign
ficers of the army and navy and many of
our most eminent scientists have been res
idents of the District Of Columbia and
have contributed to its society, always
distinguished for its refinement and cul-
ture, not only the honor of their presence,
but the riches Of their minds. More i'm
portant still, the public men have done
their great deeds and spoken their great
words, making in large measure the his
tory Of our country, in the District Of Co
lumbia Simply to recall the names OF
men whose biographies are that history
will give you true conception OF the
wealth and greatness Of the District Of
Columbia, which claims them, their
speeches and their actions at their best
some state, possibly as it's proudest boast.
but all Of them belong to the District of
Columbia, where they lived out their
greatness in word and In deed.
1.-THE intelligent American, visiting WASH
ington for the first time. sees not only that
1t is beautiful for situation and beautiful
in itself. with it's splendid avenues and
streets. Its parks and trees. its noble build
Is majestic and impressive in its memories
and associations. He sees 1t peopled with
our leaders in the century whose progress
this exposition celebrates. In the Execu-
vania avenue. he walks in the footprints
of the greatest men we have known, and
he sees at every turn reminders Of their
lives and their work. The Washington
monument towering ing, above ,,s, all similar la.
only of the great and pure founders life,
but of the life Of the city which he found
ed, in its greatness and simplicity, in its
high aspirations and In it's separation from
mercenary considerations. We need no
Westminster Abbey while we have Wash
ington to preserve to US that which cannot
be wrought into marble or bronze, the very
men and heroes. and in performing this
high offlce 1t rises In simple grandeur above
the marts Of the money makers and the
gatherings Of the factories.
The Districts Greatness.
''From the windows Of the Washington
monument. 800 feet above the ground, and
almost in the center Of the original Dis
trict Of Columbia. one can survey almost
its entire extent without q glass. It IL a
small state. though not 30 small an Athens
or al Rome. It 10 smaller than any other
pOIlQC6l OIVlUlOu OK inc UulLeQ 6t6Io8, al
though 1t has more population than six Of
the states-Delaware. idaho. Montana, wy
oming, Utah and Nevada, and than any Of
the territories. It IN not rich In money, as
riches 20 today. though 1t ID not poor, as
riches went but yesterday. But It II wealthy
In the common wealth Of greatness, intsi-
lectuai and spiritual. Ia GOOD govsrnmsut,
good society. outward beauty and inward
grace, noble mon and noble memories and
Z glorious history. It stands supreme, far
above the terrible waves Of mateyiaiism,
for intellectual and spiritual achievement,
those ambitions which cannot be satisfied
with scrdid gains or sensuous pleasures. Its
voice sounds even abore the olamor OF the
market places 70 Femind ua o9 men who
triotio to seek selfish ends, and who gave