Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-04

presented by the Chamber Of Comm
of the new nation without appropr ate
recognition. We owe the very existence
of the National capital to the men who
made the Declaration and then made the
United States, and we have shared in all
the glorious results of that heroic achieve
ment in fullest measure.
Such celebrations make us better citl-
Gems by stirring up our gratitude and our
patriotism. just as the celebration of the
sacred days of our private history makes
us better men. Man is distinguished from
the lower animals by lis remembrance
as well as by his foresight.
Their memorials have persisted with
them Is the most terrible thing the Scrip
lures can say of the guilty cities Of the
past. 1t would be a punishment full or
terror II a city or a nation. for its 1nd1f-
ference. ingratitude and iniquity should
and their. noble deeds and of the great
gifts of heaven in the former years.
Reverence to History.
Our national birthday ought to be
holy day as we'll as a holiday. and it
shows that the national spirit is still
true. that the day is not given up wholly
to personal pleasure seeking. but that
everywhere the Declaration of Independ-
ence is still read and the example of the
forefathers is still held up for our emu
lation.
There could be no better celebration Of
Independence day here in Washington's
city than the formal opening of this build
ing. For it stands for Washington
be the abode Of the government of that
capital. Here in the heart of the city
which he planned and almost in the CEN
ter Of the original District of Columbia
1t will remind all the world Of the last
work which he did and of the afectlonate
interest he put into 1t.
Had not Washington died untimely l
believe that there would have been Dis
trict government from the beginning. and
adequate national provision for the main
tenance of the National capital through
out the last century. Instead of celebrat-
ing the opening of the first District gov
eminent building We might be meeting to-
day In District government building a
century old. recording in itself the sue
cessive advances of the nations capital
in regular relation with the successive
steps in the nations progress.
THE long neglect Of the National CAPT
tai by the National government would
not have occurred II Washington had
lived. And it would not have had to wait
three-quarters of a century for a govern
ment and over century for its govern
ment building. The civic patriotism and
self-sacrifice Of the District people. I'M
tanned the common National capital for
seventy eight years, and has borne half
the cost of Its maintenance for thirty
years since, might have been no less, but
the results would have been much great
er.
AS 1t is, while the District Is los years
old, its first general government dates
only from 1871. and its permanent form
of government only from 1873. So that
it is one Of the youngest governments in
the nation.
Capitals Development.
Practically all the great work Of ma
tional capital-making has been done since
the civil war sacrifices in blood and treas
ure. poured out for the defense Of Wash
ington as the symbol of national SOW
ereignty. made ridiculous the talk of re-
moving the capital westward toward the
center of population. talk that went on
seriously for years after the telegraph
and the railroad had made communica-
ton between Washington and the interior
quick and easy.
statue. the gift of the grateful people. will
shortly stand here and Gov. Cook. under
whom Gov. Shepherd directed the board
of public works. as it drove the plow-
share Of preparation through the principal
streets, planned by Washington and made
possible all that has come since. rise be-
fore us as we think of the beginnings Of
modern Washington. All honor to these
governors and to the Commissioners of
former years. to whom we owe so much
And. while the blowing went on under
the governors. most OF the seed-sOwing.
as well as the cultivation and the har-
vesting. has gone on under the Commits
sioners. The tree is known by its fruits ;
We have thirty years OF practical solid
success TO report. You who remember
tba conditions If 1874 have OpIv IN lOOk
around you to see what has been accom-
plished. The doubling of the population
the reduction of the death rate. the quad
rupling of the financial resources. the
transformation of the transportation ia
cilities, the multiplication of beautiful
buildings. public and private, of parks.
bridges. boulevards. trees. These are
only the visible signs of the great change
which appears most striking when we ex-
anime our present intellectual and spirit
ual resources, our educational and re-
ligious institutions, the Improvement in
our laws and customs.
Great Progress Made.
Since our centennial celebration eight
years ago we have had unexampled prog
ress; witness the elimination of grade
crossings and the erection Of the Union
station: the filtration plant and the water
pumping station; the sewage disposal sys-
Massachusetts avenue extension boule-
ward the new bridges over the Potomac
and the Anacostia, the Mckinley and
Armstrong Manual Training schools and
this Business High School. the Freedmen s
Hospital and the tuberculosis Hospital
and this District building. to speak only
of some af the material improvements
to which we can point with satisfaction.
as showing how We have built and as
representative of the general advance.
THAT advance has been accompanied
BY a notable increase in public spirit and
civic price, always great here. and by a
constantly increasing interest and pride
in the capital on the part of the country
at large. National and international con-
ventions meeting here and representative
bodies meeting elsewhere eagerly listen to
information about our history and plans.
and willingly pledge themselves to aid In
the development and upbuilding of the
nations capital.
1t Is all typified In this District build
ing. this typical District construction the
outcome of the efforts Of the Commission
err sand citizens through all these years,
now delighting our eyes with its beauty