Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-05
CITES HAPHAZARD GROWTH
Harmony Must Be Keynote in Ex-
tension, Says Secretary.
SPEAKS TO BOARD OF TRADE
Resolution Passed Calling for Com
mittee to Take Up Question
of Better Conditions.

mat Washington is without any ade
quafe plan for its future development as
splendid capital city, and that such
plan is a crying need, was stated en-
phatically by Secretary Franklin Mac
Veagh Of the Treasury. in an address be-
fore the Board Of Trade in the New Will
lard Hotel last night.
Contrary to the popular belief, Wash
ington has no we'll defined plan for
great future development" said Mr.. Mac
Veagh. THE only plan for development
here is that dealing with the Mall. made
by the Burnham commission. The sub
urbs and outlying sections of the city are
growing up like weeds, with no thought
for harmonious development"
Secretary MacVeagh was introduced by
President Thomas c. Noyes. Mr.. Noyes
said that the residents of Washington
were frequently accused by members Of
Congress Of trying to get all the money
in the national Treasury for the use of the
city, that they were like the man who
went to a bank to borrow money and
when he was asked how much he wished
to borrow. he asked, How much have
you?" Mr.. Noyes said he was sure there
still was a great deal of money in the
Treasury and suggested that perhaps Sec
rotary MacVeagh might enlighten the
board on this matter.
perhaps / had better not reveal how
much there really is in the Treasury"
said Secretary MacVeagh. but this L
will say. that no drafts are more gladly
paid than those for the District Of Co.
lumbia.
Praises Business Men.
Il have feeling of homeness here.
M ifYrfn tbn hot hoy
been accustomed to the greater part of
my life, for my life has been passed in
business. The last three years. 1 have
been thrown off my track, and 1 have
been associated almost exclusively with
lawyers. You will, therefore, understand
my pleasure at meeting the Board of
Trade. ] haYe the greatest admiration
| for the legal fraternity. but should like
to have the percentage of lawyers admit
ted to Congress not greater than 90 per
cent of the whole body. They seem to
constitute 100 per cent of the body and
seem to believe that only lawyers know
what is good for the American people.
But the business men of the country
do their part in public life. though they
serve without salaries and are not dis
posed to seek Office If it were not for the
public spirit and patriotism of the bust
ness men the affairs Of the nation would
go haltingly.
Sometimes I wonder how You men in
Washington have the courage to keep on
pegging away. In Chicago. where live.
at least we have something to say in
gard to our government. But you must
work by proxies. You haven't even a
representative in Congress. 1 have often
thought this a great injustice, for every
territory and dependency Of the United
States. except this District. has a dele
gate in Congress to speak for it. But in
spite OF all, you give most striking ex-
ample of the fact that the American spir
it of self-government will not be downed.
Needs \of Washington.
II know that you are working to make
this the great city of Washington. 1t is
not now a great city by a long shot.
What you need is definite plan for the
development of a great city. 1t is true
that you have the Burnham commission
plan, and that the adoption of this plan
has led other cities to adopt plans Of
development. But that much lauded and
much advertised plan has to do only with
narrow strip of Washington. the Mall.
1.-THE plan for the development of Chi
cago is SO much greater than that Of
WashingtOn-though 1t, too. was the work
Of the same architect, Burnham-that
there can be no comparison between
them. No great city in the world has
but one center. And yet you have plan
ned for only one center in Washington.
IL you have great monument to put
UP, you place it in the Mall. The rest
Of the city, outside the section covered
by the Burnham plan, is growing up like
weed.
1.-The genius of LEnfant did not limit
| his plan for Washington in this way. II
| the great Frenchman had lived to see
| the present growth Of the city he would
| have extended his plan. and undoubtedly
hc tnol tor v1y ,tv,6 IT,
mind there have been two great men in
| history of the growth Of Washington
l. Enfant and Shepherd. They conceived
| the city as a whole. No one since Shep-
| herd has had the imagination and power
| to look into the future as he did.
1.-THE city is growing up now at random.
| You are planting little houses here and
| there without regard TO any plan for the
| future or of their architecture
Advocates Outer Parks.
You ought to have a great system Of
| outer parks. as We call them in Chicago.
| The Chicago plan looks to the develop
ment of the country for fifty miles round
| the present city. You have round You
country even more beautiful which is
| reckoning to you.
You are lacking in small parks, too.
| compared to Chicago. And I predict that
| Chicago, with its present plan of devel
! opment, will become the most beautiful
| city in America. OF course it will have to
get rid of it's smoke. but science is TAX
| ing care of that. Cleveland and other
| cities have adopted adequate plans for
| their future development also.
"For a long time have felt that WASH
| ingtOn should have proper plan of de-
velOpment. The government might give
| YOU the money for such plan. But do
| not give up the idea. even If the govern
ment should refuse the money. 1t would
be better. l believe, il the citizens of
| Washington themselves contributed the
money for this plan, for then they would
all take a keener interest in seeing it
worked out You couldn't paw too much
! for the plan. For, after all, we who come
here from other cities to take part in Of
p. fetal life are aliens and will never take
the same interest in the city as your
| selves You have three mayors and a
| common council of 5OO-Congress The
| three mayors have their homes here, but
| ali the councillors have other cities and
| towns in which lie their real interests.
Duty of Government.
"But we are all American citizens, and
| II is the duty of the government to make
the Capital city the equal of all others
| in the world and also to establish here
a standard city which shall be a model
q, avery way to the cities of the cOun-