Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-19
DIS TRcT DAY At FAIR
Auspioious Exercises in Honor
of That Event
AT SAINT LOUIS TODAY
MILITARY PARADE AND RECEP-
TON IN THE FORENOON.
Addresses in the Missouri Pavilion in
the Afternoon-Commis
Macfarland's Remarks.
AT SAINT LOUIS TODAY

Macfarland's Remarks.
ST.LOUIS, Mo- October 19-The men,
bers of the governing board of the District
of Columbia. prominent government off,
Gals and several hundred residents of
Washington Wee present today at the ex-
ercises in honor of District of Columbia day
at the worlds fair.
The program for the celebration COM
rrised a military parade. a reception at the
United States government building and ex-
ercises in the Missouri state pavilion.
Opened at 10 O'Clock A. M.
The Commissioners met at the admins
tration building at 10 o'clock and were es-
corted to the government building by a
Fl ocession, including all the United States
troops stationed here, the Jefferson Guards
and other organizations, the music being
furnished by the Marine Band and the Fill
rino Band.
After the procession had been reviewed
by the Commissioners reception was held
in the government building and in the af-
ternoon the official celebration took place
in the hall of the Missouri building.
The exercises In the afternoon in the Mis-
souri, building began al O'Clock. John w.
arrangements. presided. After music by
the Marine Band. Introductory remarks
were delivered by Mr.. Douglass He said,
In part:
Mr.. Douglass Address.
From the first mention Of the proposition
to hold an exposition in commemoration OF
the great event in our national history, the
Louisiana purchase. to this day, the people
of Washington have had and expressed the
keenest interest in that proposition. Like
you and the entire country we are proud
Of the wonderful and almost magic growth
OF that purchase in population, culture,
wealth. political influence and state and
municipal prestige and power. Therefore.
the effort to enlist the national interest
through Congress had our instant and dc-
tive support.
Many of our citizens have been here
during the past summer months, and when
they returned have invaria bly, brought this
report: 1t is, they said, so great and grand
that it is almost beyond the mental grasp,
and certainly is unrivaled and incompar-
able. This was high praise but those of us
now here have already joined in that esti-
mate"
Mr. Douglass was followed by Mr. D. R.
Francis. president of the exposition board
The address of the day was delivered by
Henry B. F. Mcfarland, president of the
board OF Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia. Mr.. Mcfarland said in part:
Mr.. Macfarland's Address.
I'VE are here to congratulate the I.ouisi-
ana purchase exposition and to celebrate
the national capital. They are linked to-
gether by the memory Of Thomas jefferson,
the first President who served a full term
in the White House, where his greatest
achievement was the peaceful acquisition of
the Louisiana territory, doubling the do
main of the United States for fifteen mil
lion dollars.
Thomas Jefferson had almost as much
to do with the creation of the national Ca pi-
tai as with the Louisiana purchase; he was
second only to George Washington in that
work. In the long and bitter struggle in
Congress over the selection of a site for the
federal district. for which the Constitution
had provided, after the unrequited and in
dignant soldiers of the revolution had
Congress from Philadelphia to
Princeton in 11S3, and convinced it that
the national government must control the
national capital, it was Thomas Jefferson
who, at his own dinner table. settled the
matter and placed the national capital on
the Potomac. Afterward he regretted that
he had allowed Alexander Hamilton that
night to induce him to influence the Virginia
members to agree to vote for the assump-
ton of the state revolutionary war debts
by the natior al government to please the
north, in exchange for northern votes for
the Potomac rather than the Delaware site
to please the south He had builded better
than he knew in this, afterward in the
Louisiana purchase, yet he deserves the
CT edit of the results.
Thomas Jefferson's Aid.
Having thus brought to George Wash
ington power to place the federal district on
the Potomac, Jefferson aided him in placing
1t just where 1t is and in preparing 1t for
its future uses No other pubic man, ex-
cept Madison, took anything like the same
interest taken by Washington. who looked
upon the establishment of a permanent
seat for the government of the United
States to be controlled by it exclusively of
the states, as one of the most important
acts of his career. To washington IL was
symbol of perpetual union; of that nation
which he foresaw made up of indestructlble
states indissolubly united, when other men
were wondering how soon and for what
reasons the states would break the invisible
bonds of their alliance. JEFFERSON ana Madl-
son did not view it quite in the same way
hut they freely gave their advice and as
sistance to the greater Virglnlan.
A Government Founded.
.In Jefferson's day the District of Co.
lumbia had no general executive govern
ment. nor was any given to it by Congress
until 1871, when full territorial form Of
government, with a governor, legislature
and a delegate in Congress, was provided
for it.
..For a general District government, we
are indebted to General Grant, whose vic
tories had saved the national life and had
insured the permanence of the national
capital When he became Pres dent he
took an interest in the development OF the
city of Washington and stoutly supported
Alexander r. Shepherd, the remarkable
young native of Washington who was am
bilious to carry out the neglected plans
of George Washington for magnificent
streets and avenues. Through Grants sup
port and that Of Congress- in which Shep-
herds political friends then had the ma
jorty, and the assistance of other far-see-
ing and determined men, the territorial
form of government was secured from Con-
gress, and under its powers the pillow of
progress was driven in deep burrows along
all the principal highways of the city. The
governors, first Henry d. Cooke and then
Alexander r. Shepherd, were appointed by
President Grant, together with board of
public works. of which Shepherd was the
leading spirit, and which did the actual
work Of improvement. The voters elected
the assembly, the delegate to Congress and
other officers, and by majority approved
the Shepherd policy. The cost of 1t was to
be borne as the cost of all similar improve
ments on smaller scale had been borne.
by the people Of Washington.
1.-THE work was done in such a way that
1t could not be undone all over the city.
but hurriedly. and therefore roughly and
extensively. There was the inevitable pro-
test from many taxpayers who could not
see its results for the burdens which ii i'm