The Washington times., 1906-09-09
The District at jamestown.


Washington business men can inn
press their earnestness in booming
the greater city on themselves first
of all and the whole country subse-
quently by espousing the project 10
have a creditable exhibit at James
town. In this connection espousing
does not mean mods of approval. 1t
means clubbing together, Joining
forces. making a common cause of
the movement, and giving time and
money. This kind of a cO-partner-
ship on their part viii do much
more, indeed, than most of our peo-
pie realize-to further the growth
of the Capital into a city which
shall supply its own needs and EN-
ploy its own youth.
In the first place, Washington
needs work and giving from its peo-
pie. If there were no better use for
them, il would do the city good to
have its business men dig "a hole
and fill it up again. They have been
so long out of practice in colleague
ship that just pulling together for
the exercise would profit them and
their home town. too. They need
10 learn by pulling at the same
cables and hacking down the same
obstacles that their interests are
common and their dependence mu-
tual.
But working and spending for an
exhibit at jamestown viii not be
digging a hole and filing it up
again. 1t win be the useful oppo-
site. 1t viii be spreading the news
of the Capitals awakening to the
people of the whole country gener-
ally and the people of our nearby,
undeveloped markets specially. As
Commissioner Macfar1and puts il,
Nothing better in the way of ad-
yertising could be done"
For this enterprise practically at
our own front door is attracting
more attention all over the country
than we of Washington seem to
realize. 1t is not TO rival Chicago
and st. Louis in size, but that is
rather to its advantage in the public
estimation than otherwise. and sure
ly that fact multiplies the value of
every advertisement, whether indi-
vidual, municipal, or state, which is
displayed there.
Unless their interest in the Capital
fails miraculously, Washington and
its exhibit at Jamestown will center
the attention of the visitors longer
than anything else, not even except
ing the site of the first English set
tlement on this continent. The
South viii send as many Of its bust
ness men to Hampton Roads as it
sent to Atlanta or Charleston. and
Vice President Andrews is right
when he says they will be in a ere
ceptive mood"
If the thing is to be done as it
ought to be, it must be done right
up TO the handle. Washington should
have a separate building, perfect in
architecture and representative of
the city In that structure should
be such accommodations as will
draw to it thousands of possible buy
ers-club accommodations and crea-
ture comforts. It would be well to
adopt the device Of Minneapolis and
St. Paul at St. Louis and display
paintings of the city from several
points of view so that any who have
hesitated to include the Capital in
their journey viii be moved to de-
eide Alright.
Either there or somewhere else
should be exhibits OF Washington
industries. What is historical about
this community can be exploited
elsewhere. 1t belongs, well enough,
with the general historical exhibits
of the enterprise. Let US, for once.
emphasize that side of our life
which depends solely on our own
efforts.
Doing this win cost money. That
may shock some of our people-but
the fact remains that if it is done
at all it win cost us precisely as any
thing else worth doing viii cost us.
A part of the expense should come
from the Treasury. As the several
States have appropriated funds for
the erection of their buildings, Con-
gress should be ready to allow a
suitable sum-S2O,OOO perhaps-for
the District of Columbia to spend
in the same way. The rest must
come from the people themselves.
IT ought not be less than $4,000. 1t !
might well be more, considerably
more.
The appropriation may not be
easy 10 get. But il can be got and