The Washington herald., 1908-04-22
wAsHINGToN's FUTURE.
FiHtterinR Foreign View OF a Grow.
ing National CapitaT.
lmau s. Letter in New York Sln.

ing National Capital.
"Ensishmau's' Letter in New York SIR.
To a modern reader one Of the least ae-
countable features Of Dickens American
Notes" is his fatty negative attitude to-
ward the future OF this country. Not only
does he refrain from Dropheaying growth
CT great things for it: he sometimes goes
out OF his way to contradict such prophe-
cies when made by others. His forecast
about Washington, for instance, clashes
directly with the then current expecta-
tions, and after acknowledging its quality
as a city OF magnificent intentions" he
winds up a sorry description CT it as 1t
was in 1872 with the words: Such as it
is, it is likely to remain" The blindness
which in this instance seems so paTticu-
iarly Grass peryades as a matter Of fact
all his notes, nor was II peculiar to Dick
ems among travellers Of that time. and the
old turbulent 'spreadeageism" which
Used to startle them so must surely have
been to some extent a reaction against
such foreign lack of foresight-a protest
on behalf of a national creed which had
been called Ia question.
Dickens dubs washington "a monument
raised to a deceased project, with not
even a legible description TO record. its
departed greatness Nothing impresses
one. more to-day than the vitality Of the
project, renewed and modified. Of course.
the aims of which seem almost more real
than the results already achieved. As
one looks out oyer the beautiful prospect
from the terrace of the Capitol one can
really feel the plan emerging gradually
through the existing material and the
last idea likely to occur 10 one about
the latter even now would be: Such as
1t is, it is likely % remain"
II is notable In this view that the Obe-
lisk, despite its giant height, does not ap-
pear discOTdant as the EiffeI Tower for
instance, does at Paris, but quite in har-
mony with the emerging plan Il is
counterbalanoed by the ample proportions
OF Pennsylvania avenue. and these two
features together with the Capitol itself
set the scale to which all the rest is con-
forming Such huge structure as the
new Union Station again rears its white
arches against the sky without appearing
at all too large or salient since Il observes
the proportions of the scheme; while the
Treasury, on the other hand, though no
mean building. falls below the keynote
and is inadequate for its place In the
fugue Of the avenue. Size Is in the air
at Washington. and when the project Is
complete a city of monumental palaces
will exist.
The hoTdes Of tourists from all over the
country. thronging the streets and build
ings, guide books In hand are in them
selves pledges enough of the future ac-
complishment. The whole nation evidently
tentertains lively pride, ambition, and
solicitude for the progress Of the city
making fond pilgTimages 10 see how it is
getting on and noting every step Given
the wealth and enterprise Of these inter
ested parties the result is a foregone con
clusion, and some day Washington is
quite likely TO 'stagger humanity" One
! IS tempted 70 think Of the view from the
terrace, Of a great scheme realizing itself
| in material still partly crude and insight.
/ ly as symbolical of the state of tbs
country.
/ The Capital is fortunate in its natural
situation, with its variously curved river
front and picturesque frame of wooded
hills resembling vaguely the site OF tht
| Paris on the right bank Of the Seine. witt
/ the ridges Of Meudon and St CLOUD
brought in closer and the quarter on ths
/ left bank turned into fields.
/ The great square on the far side Of III,
Capitol, surrounded by its far flung IA.
cade, by the Library Of Congress and the
new white buildings to right and left, and
with others doubtless as noble about tc
rise, promises 10 become the handsomest
/ in the world. It's only rivals. think. vii
/ oe the Place de la Coneorde in Paris anC
| the Piazza Of St Peters in Rome.