Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-18
IMPRESSED BYWHAT He SAW
Turning Point in History Of the Do
minion Capital.
MAY BE A FEDERAL DISTRICT
What Has Been Accomplished In
Park and Boulevard WORK
Leaders oil Movement.

Commissioner Macfafand, who Returned
last Friday night from q visit to Ottawa.
Canada, says he was particularly impressed
by what he saw there and the persons he
met
1T was a great pleasure to represent
Washington In the dominion capital, just
at this turning point in Ottawa's history,
which its people and other Canadians are
considering the question OF converting It
into a federal district like the District OF
Columbia" Mr. Mcfarland said. Ottawa
is beautiful capital now, and full
of enterprise and ambition. although
it's population, even including the sur
rounding towns. Is, as told. not
more than $1,000 or $4,000. Its hills,
crowned by the fine parliament house and
other government buildings; its rivers. with
their falls, and the exquisite views across
the valleys and to the hills Of the st. Law
renee. are among fits great natural advan-
tages. Thus far. during the forty years
since it became the dominion capital by the
personal selection OF Queen Victoria, the
dominion government has allowed the pSo-
pie to bear the whole burden of municipal
expenses, just the people of Washngtorf
did for seventy-eigAt years. except that
since 1863, the dominion government has
contributed $4,000 year for park improve
ment and has pledged a like annual grant
for term or twenty years.
Park and Boulevard Work.
With this money the Ottawa Improvement
Commission. under the craftsmanship of
Henry N. Bate. has already accomplished
great deal in park and boulevard work,
utilizing skillfully the natural beauties and
especially those on the water fronts. The
commission was allowed to anticipate $3.50
600 of the grant by issuing bonds and has
;,,l;- .r ,,lx, ,,rrh
has been accomplished to gain for the
project universal approval, and also to
show that much more money will be re-
quired.
The people of Ottawa, and l should
judge the people of Canada generally. feel
the national spirit more strongly all the
time, and that feeling. together with the
wonderful expansion and growth and pros
perity of the dominion. tends to increase
the interest and the pride in their national
capital 1t is like the feeling which Ameri-
cans have for Washington and which has
been manifested with increasing strength
ever since our centennial celebration in
1900 The Canadians appreciate what the
ATfIaricans learned much more slowly, that
the national capital cannot be properly
maintained or developed except by the full
cooperation of the national government
They fealize.also the great value o'tfe ma
tional government of having fine national
capftaras the symbol of the country, as the
seat of its sovereignty. a seal of its
y,
spirit.
Favorable to Development. 2
1.-The form which the arrangement be-
tween the citizens of Ottawa and the do
minion government should take is what
they are now discussing, and that some
action favorable to the larger develop
ment of the dominion capital will soon be
taken seems probable.
Naturally, the example of Washington.
which many Canadians have visited and
all admire in their minds, and that
was why was asked to describe our syS-
stem and it's workings. Everybody that 1
met, beginning with the governor general.
Earl Grey, seemed deeply interested in the
subject. After my formal address at the
meeting many questions were asked which
showed how widespread and varied was the
interest. OF course / carefully refrained
from offering any advice publicly or pri-
vately. But | gave all the information !
could, not only at the meeting, but in nu-
merouS conversations.
1.-The governor general has no direct
political authority, the actual government
of the dominion being in the hands of Sir
Wilfrid Laurier. premier of Canada, and
the other ministers, but Earl Grey has
great personal influence through his ability
his tact his kindness and his consequent
popularity, and he is deeply interested in
the improvement of Ottawa and has done
everything in his power to advance It,
AS we drove through the park system
he showed at once his enthusiasm and his
practical acquaintance with all the de-
tails.
"The Washington of the North"
"Sr Wilfrid Laurier is on record as say
ing publicly in 1903. that he hoped to see
Ottawa become the Washington of the
north. Mr. Fielding the very able minister