Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-04
MUNICIPAL ART HIS THEME
MR.. H. B. F. MACFARLAND'S AD-
DRESS BEFORE NEW YORK CLUB
Washington's Plan for Making Ma
tional Capital City Of Mag -
nificent Proportions.

At the annual banquet of the Municipal
Art Society of New York at the National
Arts Club. 10 Grammercy Park. the pres-
dent, ex-Representative William ].
lCoombs. presiding, Commissioner Macfar-
land delivered an address on municipal
art in the National capital. He says he
found there was the greatest interest in
this large representative gathering in the
development Of the National capital.
Mr.. Mcfarland said in part:
George Washingtons last task was the
establishment of the National capital.
Through his presidency and until his I'M
| timely death, he showed the greatest in
terest i'll it. So did Jefferson, with his
personal knowledge of foreign capitals
and the maps and plans he had brought
back from Paris, and so did Madison.
l. Enfant, the French engineer. and Eli
colt, the American engineer were techni-
cal assistants. But the idea, the plan of
the federal city, was George Washing
toms. and is his prediction, written as in
MS own clear handwriting. that the then
new and feeble nation would live and
grow 10 need capital city of such mag
nificent proportions. Washington, HIM
sen a surveyor and engineer knew how
to plan a city, just as he knew how to
choose the site. the most perfect in all
the range Of the Potomac, the river on
which the capital was to be set under the
bargain between Alexander Hamilton and
THOMAS Jefferson. But even Washing
tons reputation for common sense did
not save his plan from rfdicule. while
the nation seemed to- most home and
foreign statesmen simply another expert
mental confederation. likely to fail like
the rope of sand which went before it.
Tardy Justification.
ut took hundred years to fully Justify
George Washington's plan for the federal
city, which inevitably Congress called by
| his name. 1t took three-Quarters of that
time to bring the national government to
the point of doing anything like its duty
to the National capital. which for seventy
eight years it required the Washington
| taxpayers to maintain. 1t was not until
the civil war had ended all the long eff
! fort to move the capital westward that
| the national government felt that its seat
in Washington was permanent. Then
Alexander r. Shepherd. remarkable ma
| tive Washingtonian. backed by President
Grant and the Congress, took up Wash
| ingtons plans, brushed the dust off them
and began to execute them, driving the
plowshare of progress literally through
all the principal streets and avenues. The
unique advantage of Washington, in be-
| ing planned before it was started. then
appeared. From that day it has become
more and more apparent as steady, and
latterly rapid, progress has been made In
the physical development. All that has
been done in streets, boulevards. parks,
bridges and buildings has been under
George Washington's plans. When, in
| 1900. as an outgrowth of the National
capital centennial celebration the Senate
park commission, composed of Burnham,
McKim, Olmstead and st. Gaudens, was
appointed to prepare comprehensive
| plan for the park system of the District
| of Columbia, 1t commended its report to
all judicious minds by saying in effect
that George Washingtons plan could not
be improved upon. and that nothing re-
NAMED but to apply its principles through
out the entire District of Columbia. And
this after two years fresh study of all
the plans in the world and of all the icapi-
tails of Europe.
The genius of George Washington is
the very spirit of the National Capital. 1t
is fortunate that all its municipal art in
every form is the expression of his WILL
1t has not the force of law as to details
or the application of it's principles to mod
ern conditions. Congress has not enacted
it in statutes, but it has the authority
of reason and the force of merit.
:, City Beautiful.
Much has already been done to make
Washington the city beautiful, much re-
mains to be done. But with every year it
is clearer that it will be according TO
the idea of the great seer who planned 1t.
To his mighty faith we owe the magniti
cent boulevards and streets arranged SO
as to give vistas and provide small parks
everywhere, dressed with more trees than
Paris and leading to large parks which
| when complete will encircle the city in
| magnificent splendor. We expect to go
right on. All the park lands necessary
ought to be bought at once, but they will
be bought eventually The Anacostia
west will be given beauty for ugliness.
I'VE shall add more statues to the thir-
ty. one-third equestrian. But we shall
with the increase Of the water supply add
fountains also. The public buildings will
be more perfect INTELLECTUALLY and bet
ter placed, and the private buildings will
be more in harmony with them. In the
last seven years OF municipal progress We
have not only gained filtration plant and
a new sewage disposal system, the aboli-
ton OF railway grade crossings, but We
have gained. a District government build
ing, a bridge and Union station, which
we are justly proud to have our visitors
see
Best of all, we feel that what has been
done has formed habit of thought which
insures that what is to be done will be
better still. The civic awakening every
| where to the meaning and Importance OF
municipal art naturally had greater effect
in the city which George Washington
planned and which had his plans to exc
cute than anywhere else. We need and
we expect the support of all intelligent
and patriotic Americans in the upbuilding
and establishment Of the common capital.
but especially of such men as are working
together in this society to cultivate at
| once the civic sense of beauty and the
| civic sense of duty"
FERRYBOAT BREAKS RUDDER.