Evening star., 1909-05-04

Most men take short views in public as
in private affairs and naturally enough
think first Of money cost to themselves
1t is only strange that in less than ten
years the tide of public opinion began to
who had faithfully supported Shepherd
in prosperity and adversely, notably
among them Crosby s. Noyes. whose
bust stands in the entrance to the District
building. found that their friend and his
work were beginning to be rightly ap-
praised. That Shepherd lived to see the
gratitude of his fellow-citizens. to receive
the freedom of the city he had served
as well as to restore his personal fortune,
broken by his public service, was as
gratifying to his friends as to himself,
and this day their joy must overflow.
Task of Administration.
I'VE of the District government upon
whom the task of continuing the super
structure of this capitals greatness has
come, facing our entirely different prob
lens, can yet enter into his difficulties
and appreciate better than private citi-
zens what they meant to him. Ours is
task of administration, of we'll defined
policies for periods of years, of con-
tinuing the work which lie began, SO
that we may hand 1t over with its i'm
provements to our successors. 1t does
not call for heroic measures or revolu-
tionary activity. Shepherd had to spend
in about three years on the Improvement
of the streets and avenues and soWers
and watermains what we have spent In
about twice the time on the recent ex-
traordinary projects of Improvement. he
knew his time was short and that he
must do his work rapidly. even if rough
ly, and expensively. Shepherd had little
time for organizing municipal services.
and his service was long before the day
Of that social and economic municipal
lnyf Stafi ION yxyhi inh Int rncfc md r.
serbs cities in our time. Our annual
budget of current expenditures, now run
| ming between nine and ten million dollars,
would have seemed very large in his
day, just as the present prosperity of
the District, which did not begin until the
permanent form of government went into
effect in 1878. far exceeds the promise OF
that period. 1t is a striking fact that
most of Shepherds great work was done
not as governor. but as vice president of
the board of public works, consi~ting of
five persons the first governor, Henry D.
Cooke, being president ex officio Shep-
1873, to June 20. 1874, about nine months
Practically, therefore, he wrought
through a commission form of govern
ment. such as Congress afterward gave
the District with similar powers to those
| of the board of public works. That board
was even more like the Galveston and
other city commissions modelled on the
commission of the District Of Columbia.
SnepNcfu Is sometimes clI6Q as an eX-
| ample of the value of what is called a
single-head executive in a city. But it
was not the governor who began the exc
cutiOn of George Washington's plan for
the federal city and carried it so far for
| ward. but the man and his associates on
the board of public works. Undoubtedly,
the efficiency of the board of pubic
works was in the minds of the trainers OF
which the United States Supreme Court
called 1.-The Constitution of the District
| Of Columbia The, thirty years success
of that law involving the so-called COM
pact of 1878 between the United States
and the District for the payment of Tie
expenses half and half, together with the
surrender of the suffrage. and thereby the
elimination of partisan politics from the
municipal affairs of the District of CO.
lumbia, is visible to every seeing eye
which contrasts the conditions Of 1873
with the conditions of 1909.
Typical Of Results.
1.-The District government building, a
model Of it's kind, is beautiful without
and useful within, showing full dollars
value for every dollar spent. is typical of
the results of that new form of municipal
government. Because the work has spread
over thirty years, because it was neces-
sariiy quiet and in no way spectacular,
its Importance has not been apparent to
all eyes. Some must be reminded, for
example, that in that time $215,OOO, 900, or
more than was expended in all the pre-
ceding seventy-eight years except for the
Shepherd improvements, has been spent
here This beautiful city did not happen
The appropriations and the legislation,
the constructive and administration work
necessary to make 1t and its government
what they are did not come by accident
All since 1878 is the result of intense toll
on the part Of the successors of the gov
ernors, supported by the citizens through
their organizations and the press.
1.-THE fabric which has been building on
the Shepherd foundation has now reached
| noble proportions. thanks to the labors of
many men, into which we of the twenti-
eth century have entered. We have pass
ed through crises and emergencies which
threatened the life of the structure. We
can see clearly now that 1t will stand
all storms The future of this capital is
certain to be one of steady progress in
| creasing beauty, unfolding opportunity.
The population will increase and yet will
maintain its character as the most Ameri-
| can in the United States Some of us who
are here today will see million people
II the District of Columbia and some OF
us will see two million. Its wealth, now
great for such capital. will grow in
geometrc progression. The park system
| and the public architecture will be wisely
| developed on the right lines. Let us
hope that the private architecture, espe-
cially that in the smaller buildings, may
be of the best type. that we may not
have the beauty of the city spoiled by
ugly structures. no cheaper than those
which might be beautiful. Gradually the
alley siums are being reduced, and better
| housing will be provided either by public
or private initiative. We shall continue
| to improve sanitary and other social con-
ditions by legislation and administration.
| This is an incomplete world, but we can
| work toward perfection and all our plans
| are laid with that In view.
Supported by All Americans.
1--WE rejoice that in these endeavors
| the District government and the District
people, though they must do the actual
work, and bear half the expense, have
the sympathy and support of all patriotic
| Americans. Congress, representing the
| whole country, is the supreme authority,
/ exercising the national power. Fortunate
! ", partly by law chiefly by custom
Congress gives the Commissioners the
| fulIes: opportunity to present the needs
| and plans OF the District and to pass