The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-05-17
GRANDER WASHINGTON,
CAPITAL TO BECOME THE WORLDS
MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY.

The Attainment of the ideals of IL
FOUNDERS at Last In Sight - proiec
Tor the Development of Every Pha,
OF the Federal Capitals Equipmen
when little less than a year ag
the senate directed it's district con
mittee to consider the question OF 1,
veioping the park system of the cal
itai the hope was born in the breast
Oh progressive Neutrality-suspicious. VIII
mad labored for years for the affair
ment OF the ideals of the founders q
the Federal city that at last achieve
ment was within sight. AS the scop
Oh te work undertaken by the commit
tee and the personnel of the commits
sion OF experts it created becam
known this hope was frightened int,
a belief.
Now that the commission has fin
fshed its task and its report has beer
laid before the senate with the warn
approval of the committee itself Their,
Is no longer reason to fear that the
Old hap-hazard, hit-or-miss methods
OF capital making will be followed
These reports, though not yet adopted
by congress, or, given form In legis
lation even In part. may be regarded
as the new foundation stones OF the
Washington that Is to become the
worlds most beautiful city.
Broad and comprehensive. respect.
ful OF the principles underlying the
original plans OF the founders yet dar-
ing in the proposal of new projects in
harmony with the old, regardful of
only the single precept to make the
most of Washington's opportunities
for beauty and impressiveness, the
plans contemplate treatment of
parks, buildings, driveways, memori-
ais, water front and lakes whica can
4 be,. be duplicated elsewhere in the
world with the same splendid effect.
They recognize the exceptional facili-
ties for adornment afforded by the
site of the capital fianked by two large
streams and buttressed by noble hills.
The marvel Is that the progressive,
patriotic men who have been coming
to the halls of congress for the past
century have not more clearly recog-
nized the possibilities lying In the way
of the capital makers, have not turned
their energies resolutely to the task
of utilizing them to the full, have not
rescured the grand original plan from
its repressive, inharmonious setting
which the. negligence and Indifferent
practically" OF generations has pro-
duced. But many great questions have
demanded solution during the trying
decades of national building and pres
ervation and expansion, and the CAPT.
tai, regarded as the mere house ac-
commodating the developing machin-
cry of the government, has had to
grow hap hazard, caring for itself in
infancy and in youth and middle age.
Now the Washington of ripe years
is to be at last recognized by the ma
ton. Its character as the centre CT
national activity, the expression of
national thought and ideals, is to be
established. 1t must be grand and
beautiful, else it will fall short of the
American standards. Where now 1t
is tawdry and shows the signs of the
make-shift expediency of the past, 1t
must be given artistic strength. Where
neglect has permitted incongruities to
crowd the very shadows of the great
structures of governmental need, it
must be made tremendously true in
every detail and in all places.
The park commission has wisely
conceived its mission one of more than
mere landscape gardening. 1t has
proposed projects for the develop
ment of every phase of the capitals
equipment. The mall is to be cleared
of it's membranes and given new
and beautiful features of artistic
adornment. A great memorial to Linz
coin is to stand at an axial point, com
handing the approaches to the me-
mortal bridge. Potomac Park and a
great park driveway leading into the
Rock Creek valley. This valley is to
be reclaimed from its deplorable state,
to become beauty spot and means
of access to the two great parks above.
Series of driveways viii permit con
tinuous communication between
chain of large public reservations,
along scenes of artistic landscape gar.
dening and passing handsome public
structures. The miasmatic Anacostia
is to become a water and land park,
nffording pleasure and recreation to the
people where now it poisons them. Po-
tomac park is to blossom into place
of beauty and public enjoyment. The
river front, now disgracefully shabby.
will become neat and attractive. The
city will be girdled by drives AMI
parks which cannot be elsewhere ap-
preached for extent or utility, or beau.
ty. or accessibility. At the very doors
of all the people will lie expenses CT
space filled with trees and flowers and
lawns to delight the eye and refresh
the soul and body.
On this great system of parks a
comprehensive scheme of public build
ings will be based. permitting practi-
cally endless extension and unlimited
as the governments
needs increase. The capitol grounds
are to be fanked only by public build
ings, while around Lafayette square
will arise great series Of beautiful
structures, giving in themselves dis
tinctive character to Washington as a
centre of American art and architec-
ture. The great triangle between
avenue and the mall
will be eventually Occupied in part By
buildings of national and municipal
uses, surrounded by park approaches
and giving new character to the
southern side of the capitals grandest
street and great historic parade
Recreation grounds are to be