Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-16

SIX ana seven base nal maNCuts hNhAe w I
with all the fervor OF young America, and
nobody to say them nay. Applause ana
laughter) And to think-to think that we
had a genius a hundred years ago almost
in his way. as matchless as Washington,
to make the plan for a great capital. like
the Frenchman whose remains were buried
here the other day %Capplause) and whose
plans were hardly changed in the new plan
made by Burnham and his associates.
81 know there has been discussion as TO
the plan. There has been a feeling hat
perhaps Il was slipped onto us at one time
and Slipped in at another; but we all know
even my dear friend good old Uncle Joe.
knows. that we are going 10 build up to
that some day. daughter and applause.)
TT is not coming at once. but we ought
to thank God that we have got a plan like
that to build TO (applause), so that when
we go on with the Improvement every
dollar that we put in goes to make Wash
ington beautiful a hundred years hence.
Day of 'smau Things"
Then. Ju stice Stafford in his very elo-
quent remarks called attention TO the fact
that in 1851 am sorry TO say 1t ought
to be characterized, at least as far as that
is concerned. as a day Of SINAI things
when the Congress could have recited this:
Whereas no moro territory ought to be
held under the exclusive legislation given
to Congress over the District, which is TIE
seat of the general government, than may
be necessary and proper for the purposes
Of such a seat. Therefore we give back all
that we got from Virginia. O~aughter)
while 1t is true the early statue said
that no buildings should be put on any
thing but the Maryland side Of the river,
and perhaps they felt that as we were not
going to use that side for buildings, they
did not need It at all. Laughter) l have
never been able to satisfy myself that that
retpcession was within the power of
congress to make. (Applause.) They did
attempt to settle II once in the Supreme
Court, but the Supreme Court has a
facility in avoiding the main question
daughter and applause) born of long
practice. Daughter) And when a gentle
man who is paying taxes on this side asks
that they be extended to the other side,
on the ground that that retrocession did
mot carry Virginia, so that he might have
his taxes reduced, the Supreme Court
said he could not do 1t In a collateral way;
said that, as both parties to the trans
action seemed to be satisfied up to this
time they did not intend to investigate or
seek any burdens that their salaries did
not reqnire them to meet.
daughter and applause.)
I'VE have never had that question tested.
1 believe we ought to look forward to a
great city of Washington, and while the
Anglo-Saxon-and especially the Anglo
Saxon in Virginia-holds on to territory as
long as he can Qaughter). it might be pos
sible by agitating the question in a legal
way to induce another settlement by which
we should get the only part Of that that
we really would like to have, the part
that we own now in fee, the LOO acres
Of the Arlington estate, and a great deal
that is unoccupied, leaving Alexandria out
Qaughter) and Falls church Qaughtet,) and
taking in only that that is inhabited, so
that we may have in this district, under
our fostering control, where we can build
roads and make the district still more
beautiful-that bank Of the Potomac on
the other side, as you go up toward Cabin
John Bridge. We will need It; the city
will continue to grow.
W~ashingtOn's influence.
at may be, as Justice Stafford said,
that there will be inaugurated a protest
by the people living here that they have
no political power; but I think that the
justice will find. when he comes to look
ing into the hearts of the American peo-
pie, that they will not be convinced when
they come to Washington that the Wash
ingtonians are suffering to that degree
that requires q reversement Of the policy
adopted, with entire clearness of mind,
by the trainers of the constitution. Wash
ington, who doubtless Inserted that par
ticular provision in the constitution,
through his influence. also had L'Enfant
draw the plans of Washington, and the
plans Of Washington were not adapted to a
village like Alexandria and the village that
was In the district at the time we came
h%ere-that was adapted to a city of mag
nificent distances, and to a city Of millions
OF inhabitants; and, therefore, the clause
was adopted. knowing that just such a city
we would have here, and just such a city
would nave to get along. relying upon the
training in self-government of the repre-.
sentatives of S0,0Oo,0O0 OF people to justice
by II.
Now, my dear friends, I want to say
to you that I have got into a c%onstitu.
tional discussion here that 1 did not antici
pate, but I hope it has not clouded my
meaning. which 1 intended to make a,
clear as possible, that I am deeply inter
~ VI NAV 0AoNi y Il al
deeply interested In securing good govern
ment to every man, woman and child II
this district. and to secure as far as &
possible, with the original plan under tn,
constitution. such voice as the people o.
? the district may require in their local mat
tiers. (Appladse.)
/, but when it comes to defining how tina
|, is to be given, I cannot be any more ex
plicit than to say 1t must rest ultimatel,
on the right of representation and peti
ton. (Applause,) I do not see how yoI
|, can do anything else. l am sure that 1
. you will constantly agitate. and II you Wi
have as eloquent an orator as Justice stat
ford talk to the committees of the hous
and senate every year, he will rouse then
to such a desire to save you from tn
slavery that he has pictured that 70
will get the attention you deserve. Gan
plause)