Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-30
How to Improve the National Capital.


To the Editor of The Star:
In May issue of The Star 1 noticed the
suggestion that "the National Society for
the Identification of the National Capt.
tai might save valuable time By having lit
erature prepared for distribution among
new congressman explaining just what
the relation is between this city and ma
tional government
Numerous documents of that character
have been published during the past fifteen
years by various citizens and organizations.
1t must be obvious, however, to those Of
our citizens who have resided here for any
considerable length of time, and have paid
attention to District affairs and the action
of Congress thereon, that the mere publ
cation of the relations of the District to
the general government for the information
Of the new members will not Of itself &C
complish the desired result. and hence the
necessity Of adopting other and more efh-
cient means Even when copy of such
publication is placed in the hands of mem
bers very few of them will even read It,
Their time and attention is devoted to those
affairs which affect their constituents and
their interests. Hence, aside from the COM
mittees having charge of District affairs
members know little or nothing of the at
fairs of the District, and as a general rule
care less. With the senators it Is different.
They are here longer and learn more of our
condition and needs, more especially as not
a few of them own property in the Dis
trict and therefore are personally inter-
ested.
The question that naturally follows is,
What shall We do-what means shall we
adopt? In my opinion the plan that l sug-
gested to the Board of Trade years ago is
the most effective one, and that is to edu-
cate the general public on the subject, for
If the constituents of members can be in
tnI tn 4,cr fha 70 l.
their capital-what it should be, what it's
founders designed it to be, then and only
then will the members perform their duty
in that respect.
undertaking. How can be educate and In
terest the 100000 of people, scattered all
over this vast country? AS l suggested to
the board, the way to do 1t is to have COM
petent men travel throughout the country
and lecture on the subject, with lantern
slides, showing the capital as it was, as it
now is, and as it should be. But again the
objector may say that would cost SO much
that we could not do 1t. Let us see If 1t
would. While 1t Is true that many of our
citizens visit the capital they constitute but
an infinitesimal fraction of the mass OF
citizens, and those who do come are mainly
persons who come on business of one kind
or another, to influence legislation on sub
Jects In which they are interested, or who
have business with the departments. and
tourists who spend a day or SO seeing the
L
not come here, and even those who do come
know nothing as to the history of the loca-
ton of the capital, except as shown by
few lines in our school books stating that
a district of ten miles square was donated
by the states of Maryland and Virginia. but
nothing as to the seven years fight for its
location, how 1t was finally accomplished
the bargain made by Washington with the
owners of the land; what was donated by
the owners to the general government; what
the citizens have done, or even what Its
government Is, a Judge in the nearby state
Of Virginia within the past three years, not
knowing and being difficult to convince that
the citizens of the District have no vote or
voice in either the national or town local
government. although subject to all the bur-
dens and duties Of citizens elsewhere both
national and local!
Now suppose this plan Of illustrated lee
lures was carried out In all the principal
cities, towns and villages, what would be
the result? With an admission charge OF
ten cents the room would be crowded in
the larger places for several evenings in
succession, provided competent parties were
employed, and that would defray the ex-
penses. But even suppose 1t did not fully
do 1t, 1t would pay for the citizens to make
up the balance, especially the real estate
SPECTATORS, for whose benefits the District
revenues have been so largely expended in
the extension and opening Of streets, etc.
When the mass Of the citizens throughout
the country are thoroughly informed on the
subject, then, and not till then, will the
members do their duty in regard to the
nations capital. For years my business
necessitated my travelling to and fro
through the country. and I have not yet
met citizen who, when he was informed
as to the facts. was not in favor of having
the national capital improved as it should
be, and who did not agree with me, that 1t
was the duty of the general government to
do 1t, the citizens of course, as suggested
by Senator Hoar. paying a reasonable tax
on what property they own here and the
general government paying the balance.
OF course publication should be pre-
pared and distributed broadcast throughout
the country so that every citizen might be
informed, and the aid of the press should
also be enlisted. This. in connection with
the proposed lectures, is In my opinion the
best, II not the only effective means of ac-
comprising the desired result.
There may be a better plan, and II so let
us have it and adopt it at once.