Evening star., 1902-01-18
Execute the Plans.

The rooms at the Corcoran Art Gallery
devoted to the exhibition OF the plans and
models prepared by the Park Commission
contain the seeds OF great project, the
scope of the development of which cannot
be today measured or foreseen. The IN
evitabIe result of the movement must be
the stimulation of the national spirit
through pride In the national capital, the
most striking material evidence and token
of American nationality.
The observer of this exhibit must be I'M
pressed with its comprehensive inclusion OF
all the possibilities Of park development
and provision Of public building needs
From the elaborate treatment of the Poto-
mac river front, with its Lincoln Memorial
and its terraces at the base of the WASH
inston Monument to the extreme north
eastern point of the District, where the
Anacostia is to be transformed into an at
tractive. heaith-giving land and water
park the whole project has been evidently
designed to conserve every opportunity for
true capital-making.
These plans should not be contemplated
in the spirit of pessimistic distrust OF Con-
sgress with the assumption that while the
theoretical scheme may be approved the
practical achievement will never be reallz-
ed Too often in the past have great plans
for the betterment of Washington been re-
tarded by this feeling. There Is nothing
prohibitiye about the present propositions.
They are feasible from any point of view,
and. in consideration of the wonderful re-
sources of the country, - present great
surplus and its assured future prosperity,
they are financially possible without undue
delay.
II these plans could be taken into every
state of this country. and there shown to
the people. the demand for their immediate
execution would doubtless be insistent. For
every American citizen feels pride in the
capital of the nation. The cheese-parers
are in q small minority. The shabby treat
ment of the District in times past has as
suredly not been In response to the eco
nomical demands Of the voters. False con-
ceptions of public economy may have
caused congressman to regard their duty
as demanding that the federal city be left
a beggar at the doors OF the government.
out at elbows. inadequately sustained,
starveling But. as the people have visited
the capital In increasing numbers. drawn
hither by conventions and inaugurations
ard on personal pleasure trips. the national
view of the national city has broadened,
until it is safe today to assert that the
representative or senator who would pub
licly proclaim within his own state or dis
trict his advocacy of a policy Of maintain
ing the seat of government upon a county
seat basis would be Immediately rebuked.
The Park Commission great work has
placed before the people a. chance to undo
much that has been wrongly done In the
past and to do afirmatively that which the
position of the republic among the nations
OF the world requires In the way Of capital
hi, rr1rx h,,& ~ Paok
lively this work can be undertaken now,
with the intention to finish 1t In its COM
peteness as regards the park features,
without further delay than the magnitude
of the works themselves and the economi-
cal provision OF the funds may involve.
leaving the erection Of the buildings sug-
gested as Of later governmental need to be
created as occasion may arise, In strict har-
mony with the general plan.