Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-24
REVIEW OF PAST EFFORTS
Suggestion Made That States and For
eign Countries Unite.
TENTATIVE DESIGN PREPARED
Correspondent of The Star Points Out
Benefits to Trade Relations Which
Would Ensue.
Written for The Star.

Written for The Star.
In common with many others, I read
with great interest the publication in Tues
days Star concerning the proposed eStab-
lshment in this city of permanent ma
tional fair. and | will request some of your
space in which to enlarge upon the idea.
For more than quarter of a century
the dream of seeing each state and terri
tory represented here by an appropriate
building containing exhibits of a permanent
character has possessed the minds of men
having at heart the greatness and glory
OF the capital city. This sort of scheme
was projected about 1880 by the National
Fair Association composed of Messrs. Will
liam VI. Gait, William f. Clark Horatio
Browning and others. who secured tract
OF land at Ivy City in the northwestern
part of the District, for that purpose The
time was not favorable for such an under
taking and it failed.
Some years later Mr.. F. W. Fitzpatrick
an architect. proposed the erection of
large auditorium with state and territorial
features to occupy a site between Pennsyl-
Nania avenue and the Mall and. II is said
Tie is still working on the idea. About
ten years ago Mr.. Louis Z. Shoemaker did
some important work in the same direction
his plan embracing separate state buildings
occupying sites in Rock Creek Park to be
set aside by the government for that pur-
pose bill embOdying this idea was pre-
pared for introduction into Congress. but
the District Commissioners opposed the
measure because they did not think the
public parks should be utilized IN that
manner Still another plan along the same
line came in from Alexandria country. Va.
and Mr.. Harlow proposed that a boule-
ward 30 feet wide be constructed from
Washington to Mount Vernon. and that the
various states and territories be invited to
erect their buildings along the highway
and maintain a perpetual fair therein. And
now New York wants TO put the whole
aHair into one building in that city.
Scheme Will Not Down.
All this tends to show the idea is one
which will not down. and that it is one Of
the assured things of the future Wash
ington is certainly the place for it. This
city is. and will remain far into the future
The capital city of the country. The cry
OF Capitalization may be heard now and
then. but nothing can stop the determine
tion OF national affairs to this center. A
collection of state commercial museums
would form a vast clearing house for the
whole country's trade make the people OF
America better acquainted with each other
and with their respective resources and
foster good feeling and good times all
around
But this does not go far enough. We
should have not merely Greater Wash
ington, but a World Washington; not only
collection OF state buildings. but also an
assembage of structures and institutions
representing every civilized ma ton on the
globe. There Is no country OF any size with
which We do not trade. and none of them
could afford to slight so good an oppor-
tunity OF improving commercial relations.
So comprehensive system of centralized
COMMERCIAL representation would act as a
poy -rful auxiliary to our consular system.
and might In some ways even exceed IL in
achieving actual results.
The objections have been urged that the
enterprise is too big to be accomplished;
that the states and nations would never put
out money for such a scheme: that a
larger city than Washington ought to have
1t. and that the money can never be raised
TO ut Ii through. AS a matter of fact II
10 not even so large a task as that which
confronted the promoters of the world