Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-23
The City Beautiful.

The idea which alnderies the city beau
tiful'' plan now under consideration py
the Commissioners, to which reference
mas been made in the news columns of The
Star, has animated all the activities OF
the capital makers since the inception of
The federal city. Had some such PROPOSE
ton been adopted in the form of law
at the outset and maintained consistently
up 10 the present, Washington would be
without an equal in the world for
harmonious artistic appearance and at
iractive practically. One of the strong
rst arguments for the establishment of
The seat Of government on the banks
of the Potomac was that it would be
possible in such circumstances to make
city according to an ideal plan. whereas
the choice of one of the already estab-
ished cities would necessitate adjusting
he governments needs to civic condi-
lions. But. unfortunately. the United
States was not rich enough in the early
days to carry this idea into execution
consistently. Congress had so many other
problems to solve that it was not until
1878 that an equitable scheme for ad-
ministering the affairs of the District
was devised. and even under this dis
pensation much has been left undone
hat should have been done.
Washingtons streets are a peculiar
mixture. The most attractive, structures
are jostled by shacks. Costly business
buildings are neighbored by cheap tax
payers" of one story. A wisely conceived
maximum height law is in force, but it's
good effects are in large part negatived
BY the lack of a minimum height regula-
ton. SO that the sky line, while not
reaching to abnormal attitudes. neyerthe-
less presents an inartistic, jagged appear
ance. Only within a few years have the
authorities been empowered to raze in
sanitary and dangerous structures, their
powers In this connection being so limit
ed that progress toward the elimination
Of rookeries has been SLOW
The city beautiful is not necessarily
a place Of elaborate public constructions,
numerous parks and artistic monuments
A city may be beautiful in its business
appointments, and it is that goal which
practical Washingtonians whose views
are expressed in the measure now
formulating at the District building have
been seeking in their recent Efforts At
late meeting of architects in this city
doubt was cast upon the wisdom of using
the phrase city beautiful in connection
with municipal improvements. 1t is only
because of a failure to discriminate
properly that any loss OF prestige or prac.
tical significance has been suffered.
Washington seeks to be a city beauti-
ful" in. more than matters of artistic
public construction. 1t hopes to grow
harmonfously along attractive lines It
wants to become the healthfest city in
the United States, through the adoption
and wise enforcement of practical sanitary
regulations. 1t hopes to attract here
permanent residents with means to build
beautiful homes. and to equip its retail
trade adequately. and at the same time
in accordance with rational standards
of artistic unity. In that sense the
movement toward the stricter control of
improvements contemplated by the Com
missioners represents the desire of the
community.