The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-04
Progress of the Capital Told
BY Commissioner MacfarLand
New Home of District Government Shows Greatness of
Nation, He Asserts-Says Harmony Has Mark
ed Advancement of Washington
Adds B. BROWNE,
VIZ Spoke in Behalf of the Board of
Trade.

In his career as a public official and
speaker Commissioner Mcfarland never
delivered a more eloquent address than
that in which he expressed the gratif-
cation Of Washington's three governors
ct the contamination of the most i'm
portant project in the District govern
ments history
The Commissioner and his colleagues
beamed with satisfaction as the former
bowed to the cheering throng who real
ICED that the moment OF The formal &C
ceptance Of the building was at hand.
It was a great occasion for Washing
ton and the Commissioners, and the
public knew it.
Mr.. Mcfarland. who delivered the
principal address. said:
The nations birthday is the fitting
hour Tor the opening Of the first home
Of the government Of the Nations Capt.
tai Boston. New York. Philadelphia
would have lived on il there had been
no separation from Great Britain but.
until the Declaration Of Independence
was signed on that immortal morning
182 years ago, there was no possibility
Of a national capital.
Without a nation, free and indepen-
dent. there could be no national capt
tai. We Of all people in the United
States have the greatest reason 10 cele-
crate the Fourth Of July, and we should
never let IL pass in the city named Tor
the father Of the new nation without
appropriate recognition We owe the
very existence o. tho National Capital
cur patriotism. just as the e-i-hration
end then made the United States. and
we have shared IN al the glorious re-
suits Of that heroic achievement in full
est measure
Advances Citizenship.
Such celebrations make US better
citizens by stirring up our gratitude and
our patriotism. just as the celebrations
Of the sacred days Of our private history
makes US better men Man is dfstin-
guished from the lower animals by his
remembrance rs well as by his fore
sight Their memorials have persisted
with them is the most terrible thing
| NC scriptures can say OF the guilty
cities or the past. II would be a pun
/ ishmen: full of terror II a city or a 1a-
| ton for its Indifference, inFratft1de-
/ iniquity, should lose all the memory of
It's NOBLE ancestors and their noble deeds
ana OF the great gifts Of heaven In the
/ former years Our national birthday
/ ought 10 be a holy day, as well as a
holiday. and II SHOWS that the national
spirit is still true, that the day IS not
given up wholly TO the personal pleasure
! seeking, but that everywhere the DeCla-
ration of independence is still read and
/ the example OF the forefathers is still
| held I'D for our emulation.
| There could be no better celebration
| Of Independence Day here in Washing
I tons city than the formal opening OF
| this building. For II stands for Wash
| ingtCn's idea OF an independent capital
and is to be the abode OF the govern
ment Of that capital Here in the heart
\ Of the city which ne planned and al
most in the center of the original Dis
| triCt Of Columbia. IL will remind all
| the world of the last work which he
| did, and OF the affeCtionate interest he
/ put into It. Had not Washington died
unUmely, l believe that there would
have been a District government from
| the beginning, and adequate national
provision for the maintenance OF the
| National Capital throughout the last
| century.
Neglect Of Capital
/ Instead Of celebrating the opening OF
the first District government building.
we might be meeting today in a Dis
trict government building a century
advances of the Nations Capital in
! regular relation with the successive
steps IN the nations progress. The
long neglect OF the National Capital
by the National Government would not
nave occurred II Washington had lived
Ana II would not nave had to wait
three-quarters of a century for q gov
government building The civic pa
triousm and self-sacrifice Of the Dis
trict people, unequaled elsewhere
"a hlCh practically maintained the com
mon National Capital for seventy-eight
| years, ard has borne half the cost OF
its maintenance for thirty years since
might have been no less. but the re-
| suits would have been much greater
AS it is. while the District IS los years
old. its first general government dates
only from 1Sl, and its permanent form