Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-17
WOULD ALTER CITY MAP
TO MAKE 1T BEAUTIFUL
Proposes Removal of Smithsonian
and Museum From Mall.
Senator Bailey Says Restoration Of
Old District Limits Depends Upon
Virginia's Willingness to
Part With Tract.

With an argument that almost amounted
to an appeal President Taft stood for
the return of that portion of the original
District of Columbia retroceded to Vir-
ginia that the plans for beautifying the
National Capital may he carried out In
their fullest glory. in his brief address al
the annual banquet Of the Bankers As
sociation of the District of Columbia at
the New willard last night
The President declared he had no lnten-
ton of talking. banking. He discussed ths
development of the beauty of the city of
Washington and dwelt at some length on
the ten-mile Virginia tract which Con-
gress long ago retroceeded to the state.
and which is now desired by the District
for completion of system of parks.
IT don't like to give up hope" said
the Pres ident, that our friends from
virginia will recognize the necessity Of
giving back to the District that ten-n1ile
square. / hope Congress will give me an
opportunity to test the constitutionaiity
of tfp retrocession of that land. and
viii direct the Attorney General what
to do -
Senator Bailey's Opinion.
Equally as forcefuI in his contention,
Senator Bailey of Texas arguedsthst the
most should be made of whatthe Dis
trict now hes without reaehtf4 out for
sasrs territo,s TX
kerhars 4 sou make Washington
80 ~ sh,astd be- he said. Virginia
is.rsst, sicsed 70 return voluntarily
e9s y~uS nov seem ii yearn for so
h. seit gu 'swfli never get IT until
81. does $50 = -.
faere wee no forrna; foasts and 80 gel
st .-sss is-hruet. watss, IN the.
srrHnseTnents. 4 probshly
~ ss--sd amy flssctton Of Hs kind eiFcr
lofore given IN Washington by banking
organization.
a resident William 4. Mearns of the
bankers Association acted as toastmas-
ter, and introduced the several speakers.
1;ev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe pronounced
the invocation.
The great banaue; hall was decorated
with trailing vines and cut howers The
tables were set like flower gardens.
1t was 9:3o O'Clock when, to the air
of 'rhe Star Spangled Banner" the
presidential party arrived. The guests
arose. cheering and waving hands, nap
kins and l,andkerchiefs in welcome to
the executive.
Taft Promised Twenty Terms.
President Taft was presented by Mr..
Mearns. After brief prelude of an in
troductory charact-r, the PRESIDENT
launched into praise of the beauty of
Washington and its possibilities under
TIE plans designed for its future.
Washington is very dear to me- he
sald, Il am going to spend three years
more here, II l live.
The remainder of his remark was
dr.. ne. s.orIn OF cheers and =
CARNATIONS from ali parts OF the hall,
Informing nim he was to remain for
seven years.
ence in the development of Rock Creek
Park, to his hope of the extension of
the parking system from the Virginia
land south of the Potomac by way OF
Rock Creek Park. che Soldiers Home
and around to Anacostia, the President
got To the retrocession of the Virginia
part of the old District of Columbia
and set his audience wild in declaring
that il Congress would give him the
power to test the question he would
look after the rest.
The Presidents Address.
The Presidents speech was as fol-
Il am somewhat frightened by the
formidable character OF this presence.
didn't know that it took SO many distin-
Guished gentlemen to look after our mon
ey in the capital OF this country.
And l an. told that it doesnt-that
there are present here gentlemen who
represent the banking communities of the
United States. Why they come here to
this local bankers' community has not
the Treasury. and probably that offers
an inducement.
81 am not going to talk tonight about
banking. 1 am in the situation of a dis
.tinguished senator from North Carolina,
who. in canvass concerning currency
and finance, said that the only proposition
to which he was fully committed was that
II took two names to float his paper.
''I had supposed in coming that j was
going 10 meet a strictly Washington au-
dience, with the usual fringe Of respect
ability from the Senate and the House Of
Representatives. Washington Is very dear
10 me: l am going to spend three years
more here. II live
''The banking vote in this community
and in the United States at large is not
such as to swell my head with your ap-
prevail.
Beautifcation Of Washington.
What ! want to dwell on tonight is
the beauty of Washington and its possi-
biIities I don't know whether the Dis
trict committees in the Senate and in
the House are as generous as they ought
% b.
I'VE are all in favor of intense econ
omy in somebody else's appropriation bill
Therefore we may expect that, in regard
to the District appropriation bill. those
of us who are intensely interested In
Washington will not be satisfied.
But as look back twenty years-an6
7 began my official life In Washington
about twenty years ago-the progress.
that has been made in developing tht
beauty of this capital citv is remarkah
In the first lace. you can take bath
now in the water of Washington, and SCI
your feet You can drink the water Of
Washington. and not add anything to 1t
and feel that you are not necessarily TAX
fng in all the microbes OF typhoid fever.
''The parks Of Washington have beer
crafty extended. / am proud 70 say that
with my friend Glover and Ross Perry
stood az solicitor general for the develop
-