Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-28

ment of the District except SO far as the
qualification OF their personal desires and
necessities requires them to be- They are
here for a special purpose, and 1t requires
all their time to perform governmental
service. A further slight increase Is caused
by the coming of men of wealth or polit-
ical prominence. some OF whom establish
homes here.
But Little Interested.
They, too, are but little interested in To-
cal affairs. Consequently we find WASH
ington, with population of 100000. COM
handing less business than is conducted at
Scranton, Pa, with population of 100000;
less than at Harrisburg. Pa. with $1,000:
Schenectady, N. Y, with 10000; Providence,
r. T. 10000; Manchester, N. H. $4,000;
Lawrence. Mass, with 1900; Evansville,
Ind, 5000; Fall River. Mass, 100000, and
many other places with a population of not
more than 100000 people, while Berlin,
Paris st. Petersburg, London and other
notable capital cities of the old world are
great manufacturing centers. We alsc find
that our population is not increasing as
rapidly as it should and that hundreds of
our native young men are compelled to
leave the District and establish themselves
elsewhere because of the absence of COM
mercial and business enterprises here which
would If they existed. furnish them with
employment, and also attract others from
Maryland and Virginia and more distant
states.
a SuBSeSllOH Was maze Dy me and pub
ished in the press of this city in August
1897, which. If adopted would in my judg-
ment. greatly benefit Washington and ma
terially advance the manufacturing inter-.
ests of the entire country:
Home buildings or exhibition buildings
should be constructed by each state within
the limits of Rock Creek Park, in which
each state could exhibit at all times any
thing that may be of interest pertaining
thereto. and Congress should set apart
from one to five acres of said park of 1000
acres for each of the forty-fve states, re-
tanning. of course, governmental jurisdiction
over the territory so designated.
1t occurs to me that, without interfer-
ing with the original intention to use this
tract of land as a rural park. more val
liable consideration could be given to the
people of the various states for the money
they have expended for the cost thereof
chat is. half of 81 POO, O0O) than the allot-
ment of a suitable site for home build
ing In which could be deposited the litera-
ture pertaining to the states respectively,
samples of the minerals. samples of wood,
samples of the productions and manufact-
ured materials, pictures of scenery. points
of natural interest, photogra phs and paint
ings of their prominent men, and indeed,
a general collection and history of every
thing pertaining to the various states of
the Union. l will state briefly the advan-
tages and purposes of this proposition.
Rock Creek Park.
First Rock Creek Park will thereby be
partially improved without expense to the
United States government or the District of
Columbia, and a great national educational
and business feature of interest, value and
Importance to all will be established. The
citizens of the country will be able to find
in Washington and within these home
buildings a full history of the several
states in all that affects their establish
ment and progress. their wealth and pop
ulation, their prospects, the sources of
their prosperity and growth, their systems
of education, their commerce and trade,
their art and scientific advancement their
forms of worship and the extent and ex-
cellence of their charitable institutions,
their science, literature, etc, thereby slim
ulating patriotism and state pride at the
national capital, things which could be ad-
vantageously encouraged
Second. Washington city will be greatly
advanced, improved and benefited without
cost or expense to the people of the Dis
trict or the national treasury.
Third. AS appropria ton is asked for
Congress should act at once, favorably,
and it is believed that such legsla ton
would immedia tely bring great benefit to
the nation by inspiring patriotism on the
part of our people and otherwise realizing
more than the mere improvement of the
landscape of the park, which is all that
has been heretofore suggested.
Fourth. 1t is believed that the states will
accept the offer proposed, because they
nave Deen- VIKING 10 incur expense, not
only for sending exhibits, but In some in
stances notably a Chicago. Philadelphia,
St Louis and Buffalo. to construct build
ings upon mere temporary exhibition
grounds. Surely, they will be anxious to
do more for the purpose of establishing a
perpetual exhibition at the national capital
upon United States property thereby secur-
ing the perpetuity thereof and enabling
them TO place everything of interest per-
tanning to the several states before the
thousands who visit Washington annually
for pleasure, for business or delegates
or members of associations of all kinds,
which are gradually becoming more fire.
quent here, where visitors congregate not
only from the United States, but from all
parts of the world
Fifth. If 1t should prove to be a failure,
no loss, damage or expense will have been
incurred or sustained by the United States
or the District of Columbia
sixth. If contaminated, Rock Creek
Park will be all that Congress declared
that It should be-that is, a national park,
for the benefit of the people of the United
States
No Reason for Modification.
l see no reason to modify this suggestion.