The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-06-23
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Gem
eral Topics from
the Capital.
From Our Regular Correspondent.l
Washington, June 16, 1911.


There is widespread idea that Wash
ington is depopulated city during the
summer. Its normal population is over
three hundred thousand and it is proba-
bic that the summer population Of 1917,
owing to the fact that Congress is in ses-
sion, is not less than this number. Wash
lngton has become a great center for con-
ventlons, whether religious, industrial.
social or what not. They come here in
great numbers and there is of course no
city on this side of the globe where visi-
tors can see as much or enjoy themselves
as well as at the capital The railroads
bring large numbers of excursionists to
the city In the summer-people who are
on their way to the seashore and who are
glad to avail themselves of an opportunity
to see the National Capital at minimum
expense. Fully IS per cent. of the resi-
dent population remain here through the
summer months and those who take it for
granted that Washington is dull at this
season are mistaken. Ambassador Bryce,
OF England, said in recent address that
Washington enjoys the distinction of being
the most beautiful city in the world
through its multitude of public buildings.
its wide shaded streets and in its svmme.
try of plan. The most beautiful capital
OF its kind the world has ever seen. is. |
believe, the exact language used by the
Ambassador. The words "of its kind"
are of course limiting. The Ambassador
is cosmopolitan as we'll as diplomat,
and he no doubt weighs his words and is
careful in his statements. There are of
course many other cities, not only in
EnrOna AeI Int al
that go far beyond Washington in popu-
lation and some of them far excel Wash
ington in wealth and in agricultural effects.
but with Ambassador Bryce's limitation,
the most beautiful capital of its kind
his statement will perhaps defy criticism.
The cities of the world with regard to
population and in the order of their big
ness are London, New York, Paris,
Tokyo Chicago, Vienna. Berlin, St.
Petersburg, Philadelphia and Moscow.
1t will be seen that three of the largest as
well as the next to the largest are in the
United States, and it is predicted that
within thirty years New York will be the
largest city in the world. 1t is, however,
bumptious to boast of big cities, and the
excess of city population is believed by
many to be symptomatic of national dis
ease or degeneracy. The most thrifty and
best governed nations in the world are
those which have larger rural than urban
population.
Our age is one of bewidering change
and progress. Distance has been dimin-
ished in SO many ways and is in process
of still further annihilation by inventions
of yesterday. that it is impossible to tell
what tomorrow may bring forth. AT the
capital of the United States. the densely
built streets on each side of PENNSYLVANIA
Avenue which were few years ago the
centers of fashion, have long since been
abandoned by the well-to.do and a large
part of the wealthier population of Wash
lngton is living from three to ten miles
distant from the Capitol But the time
and labor required to reach the White
House, the Capitol, or any of the
marble department buildings is less
now than it was twenty years ago. Auto
mobiles and electric cars have taken the
place of horse drawn vehicles 1t is not
unusual to see coal. brick, lumber and
other heavy articles moving along the
wide asphalt streets of the capital under
electric or gasoline propulsion. The few
fine horse-drawn equipages of other times
have an antiquated appearance and will
no doubt soon be obsolete.
There is but little of interest going on
in the legislative and executive depart
ments OF the government. The Demo-
cratic majority in the House of Represen-
tatives is held well in hand by Mr.. Under
wood, through whom caucus rule is
supreme 1t is thought that the Senate
will sooner or later pass the Canadian
Reciprocity Bill in the same shape that it
came from the House 1t is earnestly
opposed by some Senators who are en-
deavoring TO make records for themselves
with their constituents with view to
prolonged senatorial tenure, but it is be-
lieved that a very decided majority of the
people of the United States are in favor
of the measure and that it will finally be-
come law.