Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-08
Mr.. Cannon and the Nations CITY,

From the Newark Evening News
Congressman Cannon of Illinois bears a
good repute for sanity and breadth of view
but an iliberal and provincial streak will
sometimes show the cloven hoof. In the
dicussion of the sundry civil bill the prairie
legislator made a fierce onset against using
the resources of the United States treasury
in paying for local public improvements
Inc scheme of the Senate park commission
Tor identifying the District of Columbia
under the direction of permanent commit
tee he stoutly denounced. Only when it
was PROVIDED that the people of the Dis
tr1ct should pay half the expense of carry
ing out those admirable plans, about which
so much has been written, and which will
make our national capital perhaps the most
beautiful city in the world. would he con-
sent 10 use government funds for the pur-
pose in view
This parochial viewpoint suggests inquiry
into just what constitutes the relative sig
nifcance of Washington a city among
cities. 1t is not trade, not manufactures,
certainly. for the capital Is in no sense a
center of enterprise or Of industry. except
Just so far as these are essential to the
daily comfort of the residents. 1t is the
property of the nation, the seat of mighty
government. the political heart of what
may call itself today. without vanity, the
most powerful and wealthy people of the
world. National pride may righteously
crave that this federal city should corre-
spond in it's municipal beauty and attract
iVeness with its rank among the great CAPT.
tails, adaptation to which is admirably fur
nished In its environment and topogra ply.
And this adornment 1t is eminently meet
should be done by the nation, whose over
flowing treasury seems to defy all attempts
at reduction. Any other method of making
Washington jewel tranScendent among
cities, which Is now in perspective, would
belittle the nation and tend to reduce a
beautiful ideal to the level of Cheap John
jobbery.
Aside from those residents who are as
ISOLATED with the machinery Of
or are drawn thither by the existence of
government i'll stu. the white population
consists Of tradesmen and professional peo-
pie, who serve the convenience of such a
political center. or Of people Of leisurely
wealthy and culture. who find a residence
at the national capital more agreeable than
elsewhere. All of these have to pay their
taxes there as in other cities, but wherein
that philosophy rests which would make
them share with the United States the ex-
pensive task of perfecting the civic beauty
of that city it Is difficult to understand. 1t
Is as the heart, the metropolis of the ma
ton, that Washington acquires it's impor-
lance. and through that alone. 1t belongs
to the nation exclusively to make the ex-
terror garb of this political center worthy
of its function in decorative beauty and
landscape gardening. The Illinoisan sue
cessor of cheese pairing Holman is evidently
preparing his brief for home consumption
on the wild and woolly praries. He awaits
reelection next autumn. He finds it con-
for post offices, pensions and the like. But
affairs which touch the highest dignity and
pride of the nation perhaps don't appeal to
his constituents