The Washington times., 1910-12-06
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free from craft. and discharges its i'm
pOrtant ,'utfes in this Capital Of the
Nation eject rely- The parks and the
Streets Of th5 city and the District are
generally kept clean and in excellent
condition
The Commissioners Of the District
have its affairs well in hand, and.
while not eZtravaEaut. are constantly
looking 70 those municipal Improvements
that are expensive but that must be
made In a modern growing city like
Washington
While al this Is true. uevertheIess
the fact that washington Is governed
BY Congress, and that the citizens are
not responsible and have no direct con
troll through popular election in District
matters. properly subjects the Govern
ment to inquiry and criticism By It's
citizens, manifested through the pubic
press and otherwise such criticism
should command the careful attention Ct
Congress.
Capital Should Be Model.
Washington is the Capital Of the NJ
ton and its maintenance as a great and
beautiful city under national control
every lover Of his country has much AT
heart and II should present in every
way "a model in respect Of economy Of
expenditure, Of sanitation. OF tenement
reform. Of thorough public instruction
q the proper regulation OF public utiH-
'-es' OF sensible and extended charities.
OF the proper car of criminals and OF
youth needing reform, Of healthfui
Fairgrounds and opportunity for Doou-
lar recreation, and Of a beautiful s,s-
ten OF parks
I an glad TO think that progress fz
being made in all these directions b-7-
venture 70 point out certain specific i'm
nIONeInenIS toward these ends which
congress IN its wisdom might qdour
speaking generally, I think there or-eb-
70 De more concentration Of authorifv
N respect 10 the accomplishment 81
some Of these purposes with more 60
ony OF expenditure"
Parks of the District
Mr. Taft next takes up the s44b-a,.. 90
parks in the District, and describes -r..
park situation and makes recommend
uOns as follows:
Attention is invited TO the peculiar
situation existing in regard 10 the parks
OF Washington The park system
proper, comprising some 34S diTere75
areas, Is under the Office Of P1lbIr..
Buildings and Grounds, which how
ever, has nothing TO 90 with the con
IOt OF Rock Creek Park, the Geological
Z @IA, the grounds or the Department Of
Agriculture, the Botanic Garden tn,
grounds Of the Capitol. and other public
grounds which are regularly Cpen to 1he
public and ought TO be part Of the pe-.z
system Exclusive Of the grounds OF Frfl
Soldiers Home and Of Washington Par
racks the public grounds used as paris
IN the District OF Columbia cOul0riSf
over 3.l0e acres, under ten different coz
trolling OfnCIaiS OF bodies. This division
OF jurisdiction Is most unfortunate
Large sums OF money are speTF
yearly IN beautfytng and keeping in
good condition these parks and TIE
grounds connected with Government
buildings and Institutions The work
done on all of them is of the Ssrra 90
eral CharaCJer-wOrk for which the
Office OF Public Buildings and Grounds
mas been provided by Congress with a
special organization and equipment.
which are lacking for the grounds not
under that office
There can be no doubt that IL al
work OF care and Improvement upon the
grounds belonging 10 the United States
IN the District OF Columbia were put
as far as possible, under one RESPONSIBLE
head, the result would be not only
greater efficiency and economy in the
work itself, but greater harmony IN the
eveICDu3ent OF the public parks and
gardens Of the city
Would Transfer Control
Congress at its last session provided
for two more parks, called the Meridian
HfI and Afontrose Parks, and the Dis
trict Commissioners have also included
IN their estimates a sum 10 be used for
the acquisition OF much needed park
land adjoining she Geological Park.
known as the kInSie Ford tract The
expense OF these three parks, included
IN the estimates Of the Commissioners
aggregates S9o3,Gf0.
7 think II would lead to economy II
the Improvement and care of all thes5
parks and other public grounds above
described should be transferred 20 the
which has an equipment well and eco
nonicallv adapted TO carrying out the
public purpose in respect 10 improve
ments Of this kind
To prevent encrOaChments upon the
park area II is recommended that the,
erection OF any permanent structure on
any lands in the District OF COIumbiA
belonging to the United States be pro-
hibited except by specific authority OF
Congress-
RegTanting Virginia Land.
The Presidents views and sugp estiOns
concerning the requirement OF certain
parts OF the original District in Virginia
are especially interesting 10 the people
OF washington on this question he
SAYS;
sI have already in previous communi-
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