Evening star., 1909-05-09

cultural Department through him-and the
Treasury Department look after the
finances. And so as to each branch of the
government you should go to the head of
that particular department In the general
government. l think that would be
very burdensome, a very awkward, very
clumsy system of government. l am
strongly in favor Of retaining the mu-
nicipal form tapplause). so that every
thing which shall affect the city of Wash
ington shall be done under the chief exc
cutive of that city, and by that chief ex-
ecutive.
I'm other words. would give an entity
to the city of Washington, or the Dis
trict of Columbia, and take all. of that
entity out of the operation of the bureaus
l understand to be the government of
today. and the only question that has
been mooted is really whether one man
should be put at the head of that gov
ernment as mayor, or whether you
should have three. I agree that probably
you have real legisla tive functions to per-
form l ana inclined to think that where
the legislative functions are reduced to
a minimum and consist in little more
than mere executive regulation. that pos
sibly the one-headed form is the better
for executive purposes and to fix the
sponsibility: but I am only thinking out
loud, and only because we are here talk
iHS IISlI Out III meeting am ietiH1k
You the reasons as they have been
brought to me-"
The Future Of Washington.
Now l want to talk about the future.
And the future of Washington, What an
enormous development is before us! Why.
[ am not an imaginative man. but l
would like to come back here a hundred
years hence and see the beauties of
which this city is capable. (Applause)
Right here, under our noses for a time.
full Potomac flats that are going to
make as fine parks and parkways as
there are I'm the world.
Those parks ought to he connected
with the Rock Creek Park by means of
the mouth of Rock creek or otherwise:
and then through them all there ought
to be carried park clear around. includ
Ing the Soldiers Home, and completing
the circuit with Rock creek at the other
end. (Applause) Then. too. there is the
Eastern branch. Then. the opportunities
for Fairgrounds that there are in Wash
ington. 1t just makes my mouth water
for my poor city of Cincinnati when l
look out and can see clear down to the
Potomac and see six and seven base ball
matches going on with all the fervor of
young America. and nobody to say them
nay. applause and 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 French
man whose remains were buried here the
other day tapplause) and whose plans
were hardly changed in the new plan
made by Burnham and his associates.
Il know there has been discussion as to
that plan. There has been a feeling that
perhaps 1t 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 to
build up to that plan some day. Iaugh-
ter and applause.)
1T is not coming at once, but we ought
to thank God that we have got plan like
that to build to tapplause), so that when
we go on with the Improvement every dol
lar that we put in goes to make Wash
ington beautiful hundred years hence.
Day Of "Small Things"
''Then. Justice Stafford in his very elo-
quent remarks called attention to the
fact that in 1861 am sorry to say 1t
ought to be characterized, at least as far
as that is concerned, as a day of small
things-when the Congress could have re-
cited this: Whereas no more territory
ought to be held under the exclusive leg
islatiOn given to Congress over the Dis
trict. which is the 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. Uaughter}
while it is true the early statute said
that no buildings should be put on any
thing but the Maryland side of the
river. and perhaps they felt that as we
We're not going to use that side for
buildings, they did not need it at all.
haughter.) l have never been able to
satisfy myself that that retrocession
was within the power of Congress to-
make fApplause.) They did attempt TO
settle 1t once in the Supreme Court, but
the Supreme Court has facility IN
avoiding the main question daughter
and applause) born of long practice.
U.aughter.) And when a gentleman
who is paying taxes on this side asks
that they be extended to the other side.
on the ground that that retrocession
did not carry Virginia. so that he might
have his taxes reduced the Supreme
Court said he could not do it in ool-
lateral way; said that. as both parties
to the transaction seemed to be satisfied
up to this time they did not intend to
Investigate or seek any burdens that
their salaries did not require them to
meet.
Laughter and appause.)
I'VE have never had that question
tested I believe we ought to look for
ward to 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 dlaughter), 1t
might be possible by agitating the ques-
tion 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 I, 100 acres Of the Arlington
estate, and a great deal that is unoccu-
pied, leaving Alexandria out uaughterp
and Falls Church Qaughter). and taking
in only that that is Inhabited. so that
we may have in this District. under our
fostering control. where we can bSid
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.
Washington's influence.
1T may be, as Justice Stafford said,
that there will be inaugurated a protest
by the people living here that they have
not 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
Washingtonians are suffering to that de-
gree that requires a reversement of the
policy adopted, with entire clearness of
mind, by the trainers Of the Consttu-
ton. Washington. who doubtless in
serted that particular provision in the
Constitution. through his influence. also
had L'Enfant draw the plans of Wash
ington. and the plans of Washington
were not adapted to a village like Alex
andria and the village, that was in the
District at the time we came here-that
was adapted TO a city of magnificent.
habitants: and. therefore, the clause was
adopted, knowing that just such a city
we would have here, and lust slch a
city would have to get along relyinp