Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-19
THE CITY BEAUTIFUL
AMERICANS WOULD HAVE WASH
INGTON THE GRANDEsT CAPITAL
Plans of the Founders Should Be Car
ried Into Execution-Cannon
Condemned.
From the West Chester Pa.) Republican.

From the West Chester Pa.) Republican
The world pays tribute to France through
the attractiveness of its chief city, Paris.
Inc identifying Of the capital Of France
has cost the French government many mill
hons Of francs, but in many ways the ex-
pense mas proven good investment for
the people Of that country. The capital
or the United States, travellers say, COM
pares favorably in imposing beauty with
all the show cities Of the continent, and
the plan on which it Is laid out, if car
rted into execution as its founders planned.
will make of the city where the greatness
Of the republic centers a dream Of beauty
never so far realized in the history of
nations the most prosperous. The heart
Of every lover of his country responds to
this thought, and the mind of every Amer
lean VINO is proud of the position to which
we are rapidly attaining expands at the
prospect of giving through the magnificence
OF our capital city a realizing sense of the
peerless station to which this youngest Of
the nations has advanced in a period of
time which to the older countries seems
but as the passing of dream.
Pride of the Nation.
Appointed by the law-making power, a
commission composed Of men especially fit
ted for the task has conceived a plan in
can wish for its capital will be realized
The scale is magnificent, but not one whit
more than the grandeur of the nation de-
mands and marks as fitting. The expense
or carrying the plan into execution is nat
urally large, and amounts into the scores
or millions. But to a nation that exceeds
Its outgo by an income a hundred mil
lions in a year. the expenditure of a con-
siderable part Of years excess, for a pur-
pose SO magnificent, seems entirely proper,
and the sooner the plans are carried out
the sooner the millions needed for this nur.
pose are provided, the better will the pa
triot Of warm heart and mind the reverse
of narrow be pleased
The plan is grand as the nation, and the
means to carry 1t out can only be afforded
by the country as a whole. That is clear
to every intelligent mind. All the more to
be regretted. then Is the position taken on
this question by the chairman Of the house
appropriation committee, Mr.. Cannon. That
gentleman evidently does not desire to see
the nations capital the city beautiful. And
ne considers that a hundred years hence
Will do Just as well as now for the beautify-
ing OF the city In which every patriot claims
ownership. At least he has given it as his
opinion that this dream Of grandeur shall
be realized only just so fast, and no faster,
as the city of Washington, a municipality
OF out quarter million people, will pay as
much toward this work of Titans as will
be expended by the nation Of eighty million
souls.
22-Caliber Cannon.
1t Is to be regretted that there Is a mem
Der Of Congress so narrow in his views as
to what should be done for the nations
capital. 1t is still more to be regretted that
he occupies a position so potent The day
OF Holman surely has come back again,
Mr.. Cannon may not so far initiate the
sham economist from Indiana az to sug-
gest the substitution Of potato vines for the
flowers that beautify the surroundings of
the treasury building, but he surely fails
to grasp the mighty spirit that animated
the immortal Washington when the gran
deur of the republic was but a dream and
hope, and he seems strangely out Of place
with the race Of statesmen who have placed
the nation In its present lofty position The
United States has emerged from the place
that was ours only few short years ago,
We have risen to a position that Is com
handing by reason Of our might, our
strength. our magnificent resources of
every kind. The capital of such a world
power should surpass anything Of the sort
that the eye Of man has SO far gazed upon,
The way to do this has been pointed out.
But ere the dream can find realization. the
Cannons Of the Congress must be placed
far. far In the rear Of the law-making as
sembly.