The Colorado statesman., 1906-09-29
HAVE HIGH IDEALS.
WAsHINGToNIANS TO MAKE CAP
ITAL A "cITY BEAUTIFUL" 1a
Will Not Be Content Until 1t Is Second
to Nothing in the World-Oe-
mand for Enfran-
chsement.

Along with the movement for
Greater Washington" commercially
there has come a revival of interest
in plans to make it the City Beauti-
full of the world. If as much is ac-
complished in the next quarter of
century as has been accomplished in
the 25 years just past, the American
capital will have distanced all its riv-
ais in the race for beauty.
1t was only few years ago that
congress gave scantily and grudingly
to the Identification of Washington.
1t was as hard then to get few thou
sand dollars to pave a street as it is
now to secure millions for project of
improvement. During the past five
years almost as much money has been
expended and authorized to be ex-
pended as had been done in the pre-
vious hundred years of the city's his
tory. Not only is the government
building and planning beautiful struc-
lures of classic design, But private
enterprise is doing its full share. A
union railroad station, to cost, with its
approaches, about $14,000,000, is only
one of numerous projects under way.
Throughout the city there is every
where manifested disposition to
build beautifully and substantially; in
fact, Washington seems to have some
thing it has utterly lacked in years
gone-civic spirit.
With this awakening to a new life,
there is heard again the demand of
enfranchisement for the inhabitants of
the District of Columbia. Washing
tonians want a voice in the govern
ment, and more especially they want
home rule. Next winter there is likely
to be determined effort to secure
something of a concession in this line
from congress. The demand probably
will be for a seat in the house of rep
resentatives, and an elective district
gov ernment. Even Porto Rico is bet
ter treated than the national capital.
for Porto Rico has a commissioner
who is entitled to the privileges of
the floor of both house and senate.
He can not vote, it is true, nor can the
territorial delegates, but it is an un-
depiable advantage to have repre-
sentative on the floor.
There is growing disposition to
believe that the form of government
fastened on the District of Columbia
is not a success. The governing body
consists of two commissioners from
civil life and an army officer detailed
from the engineer corps. The appoint
ments are made by the president, and
while the law requires that the civil
ian commissioners shall be bona fide
residents of the District, the men ap-
pointed are not always in touch with
the District people or the Districts
needs. The commissioners are sup
posed to represent the District before
congress, and during session they
are given frequent hearings on pend.
ing measures. But the commissioners
do not always possess the confidence
of congressman, and the fact that the
commissioners advocate a measure is
sometimes sufficient to insure its de-
feat.
With all these matters pending,
therefore, Washington did not take on
it's accustomed summer dullness. The
people had something to talk about,
and a large number of wealthy men
who habitually leave the capital for
the summer remained in town agitat-
ing for Greater Washington"