Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-01
Aurora Speaks.

Let it be granted. for the sake of argu-
ment, that the atmosphere of the District
of Columbia Is malarial and unwholesome.
as the good people Of Aurora. Mo-. allege.
and that the moral welfare of the gov
eminent Of the United States would be en-
HANGED by removal of the capital to a
clearer cline and purer air. Concede that
much to the Mssourians whose petition has
Just Been offered by one of their representa-
tives In Congress. 1t does no harm to
yield the basis of a discussion In dull
times
That being the case. why Aurora. Mo. 2
Why not Peoria. III. or Keokuk. Iowa? IL
the ideal of a seat Of government Is
place without ills or aches. or smells or
bacteria, a place of eternal healthfuiness
of body and mind. there are too many pos
sible candidates for the capitalship for
Aurora to hope to secure the plum by mere
force of a petition. Once allow the ques-
ton of capital emplacement to be regarded
from the sanitary point of view and the
field is at once packed with candidates.
There Is peculiar law in the economy
of man which causes the individual to
be thoroughly convinced that the place he
chooses for a home is the best in the world
At all events, however he may grumble In
his own region because of the cold and the
heat, the rains and the droughts, the dust
and the mud, the winds or the Gains. to
outsiders he sings the song of praise and
thanksgiving until the cows come home.
Why, even the denizens Of Yuma, Ariz.,
never tire OF telling of the peculiar charm
of the climate of that town. And the cit
liens of Sitka, Alaska. are free to admit
that the whole sweep of the worlds sur
face offers nothing so delectable as that
nippy neck of woods.
II this matter of capital emplacement Is
to be thrown open and the selection based
upon the principle of climate there will be
nothing. to do but to decide upon peri
patetic seat OF government. Once loosen
the riyets that fasten 1t to the banks of
the Potomac and there will be no satisfy
ing any considerable percentage OF the peo-
pie unless the citizens of every section are
promised look in" on the game in the
course OF years. There might be some
difficulty arranging the schedule, even for
legislators have tackled such problems as
mileage and have survived the ordeal.
Washington is willing to throw the SUBJ
ject open to discussion. believing that its
security, apart from it's natural advantages
OF which Ii is too modest in this connection
to speak lies in the circumstances just
cited For rather than allow the capital to
go to Aurora. the people OF Keokuk and
Peoria and Kalamazoo and Chattanooga
and Hooslc and Podunk will all stand to-
gether to vote for the District of Column
bia pending a realization by the statesmen
of the superior claims of each of those
towns Better another century of the cap
itai at Washington, on the edge of the
country. than a year in truly rural place
like Aurora,
Let the debate proceed. however. Wash
ington enjoys it now as 1t has en-
joyed it in the past. The Aurora PROPOSE
ton. indeed, is a new suggestion. 1t in
wolves considerations of the relationship be-
tween the atmosphere and graft worthy of
thought. Hail, therefore, to the good peo-
pie of Aurora for contributing a diversion
in these dull days of railroad rate legisla-
tioni