Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16

fall 1t is at Washington where problems In
government and the peoples representatives
meet face to face; great doctrines enun-
ciated and policies made of effect. 1t is
from Washington that orders are promul-
gated which change the mail schedule at
sitka or fire a cannon at Key West. An
order issued at Washington is heard half
way around the world, and obeyed from
San Juan to Manila. Washington is the
focal point for the vision of men who
would be statesmen, and the city Is the
shrine to which gravitates the ambition of
men who seek honor (and profit in the
service of the people.
Washington began It's career under aus
picious conditions the capital Of the
greatest of all republics-and might 1t not
be written without characterization as pro-
vincial conceit-the greatest of all govern
ments? Its progress for 102 years has been
satisfactory; it's future is glorious with
promise. Washington, unlike so many cap
itals. did not become capital by accident
Nor yet did 1t become a capital because it
vas convenient place, affording accommo-
dalton for the officers and offices of govern
ment. 1t did not 1t became a capital in
spite of It's lack of the feature of conve-
iiAciACc. NdSIIliiS ION was Dorm d Capital. AS
a capital Washington was the result of pre-
meditation, elaboration and design on the
part Of the fathers of a permanent republic
canism, and whose wisdom we still cher
ish.
Site Of the Capital.
The great cities of the United States-and
some that were not great-in the eighteenth
century wanted to be the seat of the Ameri-
CO.,
nation withstood the claims and clamor of
the cities. saying to them: I'VE will have
none Of you. We would have as a capital a
city more regular and harmonious in Its
beauty, more methodical and consistent in
its plan, more serene in its environment, and
less strenuous than thou. We will go into
the forest and erect capital from the bot
tom up. capital where the people from all
sections Of the Union may meet on common
ground. capital that shall grow in gran
deur as the years go by-a capital that shall
grow as the whole nation grows" These
were the men Of whom the President Is
fond Of saying: They had iron in their
blood: they were not weaklings."
Then another contention arose. The north
wanted the capital in the north and the
south would have 1t in the south There
was no far west as we understand the
phrase. and but little middle west. The
northwest territory was in raw, very
raw state. The savage was still so. When
the ste OF Washington was chosen Tennes-
see was not state. Neither was Ken
lucky. When the seat Of government was
removed to the territory Of Columbia Ohio
was not state. Vincennes was as far away
as Juneau is. Arthur st. Clair was the gov
ernor of lands further off than Cebu The
great pf of ba
States was along the Atlantic seaboard,
from eastern Massachusetts to southern
Georgia. There was no objection to site
for the capital on the Potomac river at the
confluence of the Anacostia, on the basis
Of geographical centrality. 1t was also
close to the center Of population, which,
IN 1850. was eighteen miles west of BaIti-
more.
Rowing Capitals.
Washington admits that 1t is today not
near the center of population, which is in
Indiana. But If it were part of the capt.
tails duty to keep near the center of popu-
lation in the United States the capital
would have to be always on the move. Wash
ington admits also that it Is not at the
geographical center of the United States
but this Is not the fault of Washington
Washington was there. 1t is the geographic
cal center, and not Washington, which has
moved. Washington did not know that a
dozen states were to be erected out of the
half million miles Of territory obtained
from Great Britain In 1IS3 that nine full
states and half OF Colorado were to be
carved out of the Louisiana territory; that
three and one-half states were to be taken
from Mexico, three more built on territory
claimed by discovery and settlement; or
that Spain was going to yield Florida and
give up islands on two sides of the earth
Certainly not. If the American capital
were today picked up and set down, or
torn down and built Up. on the geographic
cal center 1t would have to be moved lust
as soon as the dominion of Canada and
Mexico come into the great American
Union.
Representative City.
The southern location and environment
Of Washington and the mighty infusion of
northern and western elements during
and since the civil war has made Of Wash
ington a city more representative of all
the Union than any other in the Union
Suppose Washington had been blazed out
Of some wilderness IN the north? 1t would
have been a northern city. If the issue OF
the war had been as 1t was there would
have been no mighty influx of southern
people to the nations capital. If the capt.
tai had oeen at the north the south would
still have fought on internal lines and the
national capital would not be surrounded
by red. historic battleields, sacred acres
that give inspiration to all Americans
Volumes have been written and spoken
on the subject of the government of Wash
ington. 1t is anomalous. But there has
been much anomaly in the government OF
the United States. due to compromise be-