The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-22
CITY BEAUTIFUL
PLAN FOR CAPITAL
Provision of Art Commits
sion, Backed by Taft's
Support, InSures 1t.
CONTINUED from First Page)

National Capital along the lines which
were laid out by the Durham Com
mission.
This great plan. which was made pub
lie in the first session of the Fifty-sevz
enth Congress-, contemplates. in a gen
eral way, a great chain of parks en-
circlng the city. with the Mall devel-
/ oped westward from the Washington
Monument 10 the Potomac, and with
Rock Greek Park connected by a park
and drive with Riverside Drive 1t con-
templates the location Of monuments and
memorials and public buildings with
reference TO this general scheme.
Plan Organization.
The Commission Of Fine Arts will hold
meeting for the purpose Of organiza-
tiCn in the near future and at that time
il viii doubtless become plain that in
such activities as It exercises. II viii
proceed with reference 10 the Park Com
mission plan OF Improvement.
President Taft has been keenly inter
estcd from the first in the movement to
establish a Commission of Fine Arts.
When Congress passed the bill, he lost
no time in appointing the commission.
That body consists Of Daniel II. Burn
ham, Of Chicago, chairman; Frederick
Law OImsted, jr-, Of Boston; Thomas
Hastings. Daniel c. French. Frank D.
MlIet. and Case Gilbert. Of New York.
and Charles Moore, Of Detroit.
II viii be noticed that the commission
is headed by Daniel Burnham. who was
chairman of the famous park commits
sion. Frederick Law OImsted, who is
the second man on the Commission of
Fine Arts. was on the park commission,
and is one Of the most enthusiastic be
levers in the park commission plan for
identifying Washington.
President Taft has been talking 10
callers lately about the Fine Arts Com
mission He looks VpOn II as meaning
the Inauguration Of an era Of real and
systematic Improvement and beautifca-
ton Of Washington. He has made II
clear that he Intends to support the Fine
Arts Commission. II is true that the
law makes the powers OF that body ad-
visory, with respect 10 the location Of
monuments, memorials. and the ike IN
the District II is a body 10 be con-
suited and TO give opinions which are
not necessarily binding. But the Presi-
dent mas Ereai confidence In the art
wisdom OF the men ne has put on the
commission, and il viii be found thai
the commission plus the influence OF
the President is going 10 be potent *.
matters OF this Kind.
Admired By Taft.
President Taft is an especial admirer
of Durham 1t was Mr.. TAFT. as GOV
ernOr Of the Philippines, who induced
Durham to go TO Manila and plan i'm
provemeHts there. Burnham also laid
out the summer capital Of the Philip
pines at Baguio. lie has planned i'm
provements for various cities in this
country. He drew the plan for the re-
building Of San Francisco after the
earthquake. He is a believer IN keeping
as close to nature IN cities as possible
and in surrounding cities with a great
chain of parks, connected with bCuie-
wards. so that one can drive through a
system Of parks ana shaded drives 20
the hearts content. The Park Commits
sion plan which was devised for Wash
iugtOn by the commission, Of which Mr..
Burnham was the head, was IN accord
ance with this generaT GoLon- II was
in accordance likewise with me general
plan OF L'EnfanL
The Park Commission plan is atoU-
nine years old. It was never adopted
by Congress. Nevertheless, II has had
such administrative -uppOrt that The 10
cation of public buildings and mOnu-
meuts in recent years has generally been
iu accordance With It. When Mr. Taft
was Secretary of War he kept IL con-
stantIv in mind when the location
Of monuments and government buildings
came 10 him for consideration So did
Elihu Root as Secretary cf War AZ
President, Mr. Taft VIII not depart from
lines he has heretofore followed as to
this matter
Lincoln Memorial.
One of the questions likely 70 come
before the Commission of Fine Arts
at an early day is the location Of
site for a memorial to Lincoln. Vari-
Gus plans have been suggested for a
Lincoln memorial One of them is a
road TO Gettysburg. Senator New
lands has q bill for a memorial TO
Lincoln in the form OF a monument
AT a point directly west of the Wash
irgton Monument. where the extern
sion Of the Mall would strike the
Potomac.
The washington Monument is di-
rectly west Of the Capitol. and il is pro
posed to nave the Lincoln memorial
constructed on the same line. A mag
nidCent monument is proposed that
would be most conspicuous and i'm
surroundings. From il IL Is proposed
TO have walks and driveways radiate.
To Arlington over the Memorial
bridge, TO Rock Creek Park, by way
of Rock Creek valley; to the Wash
fl gtOn Monument, and TO the Capitol.
Another location proposed Is on the
around adjoining the Union Station.
This is contemplated in the Mccall
bill.
Congress, fl is hoped by the friends
OF Lincoln memorial, Will get
around TO the point of passing a bill
before long. It viii, of course, not be
done until next session at the earliest.
but the pressure for such a memorial
is growing The location favored by
the Park Commission is near the Po-
tomac, west OF the Washington Monu-
raent II is to be expected the Fine
Arts Commission viii take a like
view.
,fSONS FOore