The Washington herald., 1907-10-08
By JAMES b. NEVIN.

It is quite a few miles from Rome. Ca,
10 Washington. D. c., and likewise quite
a jump from the Rome Tribune 10 The
Washington Herald. I viii admit that
made both somewhat in fear and trem-
bling I rather fancied the information
received, however, aneut the project that
l had been invited to join, and so backed
by the bets of rank partisans at home
and encouraged nightly by the beguile-
ments Of the prospects ahead, came, l
saw. and If I have not been altogether
conquered, I have, at least, in most gen
erous measure been reconciled!
I don't think I liked washington much
when I first arrived. I ran into two
weeks Of the beastliest weather I ever
met; about as much ike that of the
Sunny South ir early October as black
is ike white. Then a wicked cabman
held me up the very first day for three
times as much as was due him. This
knew, but did not know exactly how 70
get out Of paying without considerable
more embarrassment than ! was willing
al the moment 10 incur. For days I didn't
seem able 10 meet anybody I knew. OF
who appeared at all interested In or ex-
cited about my arrival Down in Georgia
I knew everybody and everybodys yellow
dog: up here I could not even see any
yellow dogs that looked familiar. And
before the end Of my first thirty days
some villain stole my OVeTcOat,
OF course, I can look back now with
complacency and amused Indifference TO
that first month in Washington, but /
would not be honest did l not confess
that its conclusion found me mildly pessi-
mistic as to the everlasting delights OF
life in this city OF Magnificent Distances.
The first time I felt very much at home
in washington was one night in early
November Of last year. when attending
a theatrical performance at the New Ma
! ti0nal Theater. The orchestra was play
| ing a medley OF national airs. Some lit
| lie applause was given con the Banks of
| the Wabash" a good deal Of fuss was
made over Yankee Doodle" and a ter
! rife row and racket was raised over
Dixie" That incident Squared up"
Washington, wonderfully, with me.
| then and there resolved that any town
| given TO raising such apparently unani-
nous enthusiasm over Dixie" must
know It's business and be all right. And
1 am now convinced that this conclusion
was correct-it IS!
Undoubtedly Washington grows on one
1 went down to Georgia during the sum
mer just passed and saw all the folks
1 still think they are the finest and best
| folks on earth-and l do not intend to
make my visits there too few and far
| between-but with all of that. the first
! sight of the Washington Monument I
caught on my way back from that va
cation gave me sort Of homecoming"
thrill. 1t was something akin TO the
| thrill I felt when my eyes met the first
/ familiar Georgia scene on my way down
l presume 1 shall have to compromise
| this matter here and now, by claiming
/ both places as home-Rome. Ca, my vot-
| ing home; Washington my otherwise
| home. That seems fair to both; and my
guess is that I could be happy with
| either, were tOther dear charmer away.
| I do believe that the location of Wash
/ ngton-right on the borderland between
North and South-is the ideal place to
/ cultivate all-round Americans; the kind
/ Mr.. Roosevelt approves.
! You do not have much of an oppor-
/ tunity here TO cultivate rank prejudices,
one way or another You meet people
/ from everywhere. and you learn to toll
| crate and respect differences Of opinion.
/ In short, you get the national point Of
view. Everything about Washington-well,
/ If not everything, exactly, very nearly
! everything-is calculated to inspire patri-