Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1912-04-12
BEAUTY IN CAPITAL
No More Bad Art to Be Allowed
in Washington City.
MALL is CENTER OF SCHEME
Spring Has Come to the Potomac, and
Birds, Trees and Flower Beds Arc
Beautifyin1 the Parks
and Streets
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

oy GGOn9G S1tTN lON.
Washington.-Plans to make Wash
ington a worthy capital are being push
ed vigorously. When the Lincoln me-
mortal dispute is ended other matters
less controversial in nature will be
taken UP and decision made 1t Is not
yet definitely decided Just what form
the memorial to Abraham Lincoln Will
take. but the chances favor the cree
ton of some lasting stone memorial
near the Potomac river, virtually at
the head of what Is called The Mall.
This Mall, by the way. Is beau
tiful place. Eventually It will extend
from a point on the river opposite
Georgetown straight through to the
capitol. 1t has a wide extent today,
unbroken except by the Washington
monument. some government buildings
and by great trees. Before long, It IS
the firm belief Of men charged with
the identifying of the city. that all the
business buildings on the south side OF
Pennsylvania avenue will be removed
and that there will be one great gov
ernM snt park extending from the ave
nue. to the river and from the capitol
to the Lincoln memorial
This is spring In Washington. 1t was
late spring. but 1t came finally, and
with 1t on its march up the Potomac
came the birds from the south. who in
stantly took up temporary, and in some
cases. permanent, residence In Rock
Creek park. This beautiful park will
enter into the scheme Of the compre-
hensive identifying scheme of the city.
Eventually there will be broad park
belt, virtually surrounding the capitol
of the nation. When 1t Is understood
that In the city itself there are a score
or more of small parks, and that every
avenue and nearly every street has its
double line of shade trees, some ade-
quate idea can be obtained OF the
eventual beauty OF this Potomac city.
No Mere Monstrosity Monuments.
Every effort will be made to prevent
the erection in Washington OF any
more 'monstrosity monuments" Some
of the public memorials erected here
in honor of men dead and gone are
an honor neither to the sculptors. to
the people, nor to the men whose deeds
they are supposed to commemorate.
Almost anything in the old days In the
way of monument used to pass the
censors OF art Today It is virtually
impossible to get anything by the crit
les except that which Is eminently
worthy, for the board Of approval" is
80 yhr nvanllnnnn
when they meet 1t.
Volumes have been written about
the "art" of Statuary Hall In the cap
itol. It Is probable that all the mar
BILE and bronze memorials there are
there to stay, for 1t would be regard
ed perhaps as an insult to the legis-
lators of the states which voted these
memorials to suggest that they be
taken out and replaced by others.
Nature will beautify Washington in
a few days. No statuary is needed here
to make the city beautiful In late March
and all of April. May and June. The
trees on the avenues largely are flow.
er bearing. II may be said that all
trees blossom. but those in the main
| III w dShtu6tOh al VI q hAhQ WnICu
bear blossoms OF size and fragrance.
The small parks from now on will
be flower beds with a constant success.
sion OF changes of coverlds, The
crocuses come. then the hyacir tbs,
then the tulips, and then the flowers
of midsummer In constant change and
always In profusion.
Two Bold Senators.
| When Gen. Winfield Scott Han.
cock as presidential candidate
said the tariff is local issue"
he said what since has proved
to be true. although. a. everybody
knows, he was laughed al at the time
sor his Lack OF appreciation OF the
real facts In the case There are
| other local issues besides the tarin
and chief among them Is the matter
of public buildings for the cities
towns and villages of the country
| This matter Just now Is engaging the
attention of the United States sen
ate. although in haste let II be said
that the senate is In no wise anxious
TO have the subject pressed upon 1t.
A few days ago Senators Lea anc
Kenyon, one a Democrat and the othel
a Republican. acting together. asked
| for reconsideration of bills which hac
been presented by other senators fol
the erection of public buildings IN tive
or three small towns In the west
The action OF these two senators wai
bold and unprecedented. Tor be II
known that the senators by agreement
in the past have not been in he habit,
OF interfering with one ano'hers at
tempts to secure fine postotfices, fine