Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-21
The President and the District.

President Taft's praise of Washington
as It community. as a moral, upright, wei
governed well conducted city. expressed
al the dinner given to him last night o.!
tho citizens of the District. is to be &C
Cepted as genuine. not merely inspired
ny an agreeable occasion. but founded
llpou actual knowledge and personal ac-
ouaiutance. lie has been resident of
Washington. i'm the course of his various
official assignments. since about twenty
three wears ago. and for nine years has
been continuously here, SO that he speaks
with broad authority and is we'll quail
rcd 10 pass Judgment upon the federal
,ftv Us President he has been virtually
governor of the District. He has had to
study its conditions. to meet its citizens.
10 select its officials whose appointments
are vested i'm him. to investigate its prob
lens and he has on several occasions adj
dressed Congress on District affairs in
terms that have indicated an intima tie
familiarity with the needs of the capital.
Consequently his words of commentator
uttered last night are to be accepted as
sincere. and for them the District is
grateful
Last nights dinner was a revival of an
Old custom whereby in another form the
people uf the District through their rep
reseutatiyes. took occasion 10 thank the
retiring President for what he mad done
for the National Capital For a long Pc
Rod of years this custom has not been OBJ
served, and it is well that it has finally
been resumed in the form of the citizens
dinner to the outgoing President. 1t
should become Il quadrennial institution
The relations between the President of
T,..t mt II,
lumbia are necessarily close. The closer
they are, indeed. the better for the capt.
tai. 1t has no direct spokesman in Con-
Rress The President can most effectively
present its needs and safeguard it's in
terests by admonition and suggestion, and
IL is fortunate for the District when the
chief executive takes such a wholesome
interest in its concerns as President Taft
has manifested throughout his official ca
Ieer i'm Washington.
In the course of his remarks last night
tie President displayed broadly national
concept of the Capital city. His ideal is
that of a city of attractiveness and i'm
pressive equipment. a true symbol of the
American government and civilization.
lie would have Washington the inspira-
ton of American pride. He would have
IT expressive of the highest American
thought, and to this end he would make
il model city. with broad parks, linked
together in a great chain of health-insur-
ing loneliness. He would have here me-
MORALS to the great citizens of the re-
public.
The President took for granted in all
he said last night that the nation will
hold to it's partnership bargain, assuming
half the cost of maintaining this city upon
aware that any effort is making to the
end of breaking down this arrangement
en- the other hand he showed an opti-
uIstic faith in the enactments of Con-
gross to the end of the evolution of the
Washington of his ideal and the ideal of
every truly patriotic American. He paid
81 high tribute to the citizenship of the
District. expressing his belief that the men
Uf Washington who are most active in
by the highest motives and a most sin
CeFe desire for the public welfare.
For his words of praise, for his encour-
a@iDS expressions of confidence in the
steady approach toward the ideal Wash
ington, for his assurance of continued and
helpful interest. as we'll as for his re-
peated demonstrations in office Of perfect
understanding of the Washington ideals
aud needs. the District thanks President
VIII show the same appreciation of local
conditions and will be as helpful toward
The advancement of the National Capital.