The Washington herald., 1907-04-08
ADVICE TO WASHINGTON.
Texas Paper Says Capital should Not
Attempt CommerciaIism.

Attempt tOmmeFctattstn
From the Houston Post
The city OF Washington, owned IN part
by the more than s0,000, 900 people Of the
republic. is In more or less ferment Ow-
ling to conflicts Of opinion relative 10 its
municipal government There is appar-
'ently much dissatisfaction among the cit
liens for various causes. and 1t mas long
existed. There is commercial element
desiring the transformation Of Washing
ton into a great commercial city; politi-
cal element desiring the restoration of the
elective form Of government and dis
'cOnteuted element, satisfied with the sys-
TEN. but dissatisfied with the manner in
which Congress carries out its pact with
the District OF Columbia.
Outsiders as a rule, win not entertain
much sympathy for those who kick. In
the first place. it is under the present form
OF government that \, ashington has be-
come the most beautiful city Of the c0un-
try It does not accord with American
ideals. exactly. to deprive 10000 people,
such as the inhabitants of the District, OF
the right of government. but the res
toration Of the suffrage would nil Wash
Iington with corrupt politics and racial dis
turbance
Again. the commission system which
Washington enjoys is a form of coHcen-
trated responsibility that makes for good
government. These commissioners are ap-
pointed by the President and there viii
never be any danger of President turn
ing the city over to "a band of political
'cutthroats and grafters. Those who COM
plain of il simply do not understand how
happily they are situated.
The complaint that "the city's develop
ment as "a place Of beauty is proceeding
without the best effective observation Of
"a general plan and without effective re-
'strictions against inartstic ad0rnment. p"
rs largely true. but this involves no serious
or permanent injury. In good time, some
great plan Will be evolved and accepted
by Congress. and this one problem will be
satisfactorily solved No one could rea-
sOnably expect the country 10 make
Washington a perfect city within a few
years or within generation. It may re-
QuiTe q Gentry OF two TO 90 so, but each
generation will do its share.
50 far as the commercial ambitions Of
the city are concerned, all outsiders viii
protest. il is impractical 10 make Wash
ngton great commercial city. Ralt-
more. Philadelphia New York and-we
say il eriously-Alexandria win never
permit it. There is absolutely no field for
Washington. Certainly none 10 the north
and the South has long ago given up any
notion of becoming tributary 10 Washing
ton. Richmond. Norfolk, Atlanta, Mem
phis, Louisville will never permit Wash
ingt0n to get into the only territory into
which her business men could hope 10 go.
As the political capital Of the nation,
Washington should cultivate ideals nO6leF
than commercia1ism. Education, science.
and ART should center there, not packeries,
foundTies. and disulleries Even the water
power Of the Potomac. which has excited
the cupidity of avarici8us souls, should
not De disturbed. The beauty Of its his
toric shores should never be violated. As
the city reflects In the coming years the
expanding greatness Of the country. the
Districts area and the adjacent hills Of
Virginia and Maryland viii all be needed
70 tvpify all the noblest ideals of our
civilization.
If Washington VIII only be patient, if the
poor government clerks viii work hard
and hope on and keep away from Ben
ming. and il the city's newspapers viii
hold Congress 20 its duty, everything viii
come out an right. But Washingtou, as
IL values its life. must eschew politics and
cOmmercialIsm.