The Washington herald., 1914-03-02
NATIONS DUTY
TO ITS CAPITAL
Promises of Past Unfulhlled.
Obligations Of Present I'm
discharged, Says Clayton.
EUROPE'S CITIES CITED
Comparisons Between Washington and
Foreign Government Seats-Pn-
vate Enterprise in District.

To the Editor: Present opposition 'on
the hill" towards national contribution
for uplIeep and improvement of the Capt.
tai of the United States seems based on
the professed belief of those who oppose,
first, that every Congressional supple
ment of local funds insures to the ex-
elusive benefit and relief of tax payers
resident within the Federal territory, and,
second. that Congress has already dis
charged in full every constitutional obli-
CATION to provide adequately and liber-
ally for the nations material welfare at
the National Capital City.
superficial survey will satisfy that
in proportion to ability and resources
private enterprise and individual pride at
the District have far outstepped the
laggard march Of national Improvement;
while home capital and local enthusiasm
have crowded the city with model homes,
splendidly appointed shops and office
buildings, Congress appropriating every
twelfth month s. 200, 600 900, leaves one
half the great national departments of
the government housed in cheap, made
Quate, utilitarian buildings rented from
those whose business acumen and fore
sight far exceed that Of the national
legislature.
century and a quarter of the ma
tion's life under the constitution has
been lived since Washington planned and
dreamed a national university at the
Capital of his country and midway of
the century past Lincoln hoped to see
at the seat of government great trade
schools established and maintained by
the State where all mechanical arts
should be fostered and taught to the
youth of the Western Republic. Today
University of Washington and School of
Lincoln sleep with those who hoped and
dreamed them when the nations life
was young.
Our CapitaI-and Others.
American money woos from the gal
leries across the water masterpieces
of art: where within the Capital City
rise the walls Of -JationaI Art Gallery
Of the American people whereon the
softened colors OF the "old schools"
blend with the radiant freshness OF the
new
Past the Capitals door nature pours
with prodigal hand a wonderful waste
of waters; where span our American
Tiber the bridges that arch in majesty
and strength the Thames of England
and the Seine of France?
Let Brazilian turn from the triumph
wrought upon the water front of his
capital city by the millions lavished
from his country's national treasury and
gaze upon the 'tangle and tarn" Of the
water front OF the American Capital
Dare he say, should Latin courtesy per-
init, "The American sense of beauty re-
mains vet in the keeping OF Heaven?
Search within the american Capital for
the gardens Rome, Berlin and st. Pet
ersburg offer IS national contributions
TO the artistic appreciation of their
people.
Ancient and modern agree that the
majesty of the law is effective in pro-
portion to the dignity of its setting, the
judgment of the court impressive as the
eye frames in solemnity the supreme
act of mans authority upon earth: so in
the Old World brain of architect and
soul of artist have been worked into
tho monumental trophies of genius that
house the continental courts of justice.
Contrast the home of the constitution
making tribunal of 10000. 900 Americans.
Shelved deep in niche of sandstone wall
hidden in bypath of Capitol building,
hardly an apologize vestibule for mod
ern mansion.
The Homes of the Courts.
The housing c Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia, Municipal Court
and Juvenile Court at the Capital of the
American nation is alone worthy of some
fly by night" government of an in
surrectionary State forgotten amid its
tropical tangle of mahogany and vine
Congress quibhles over the spending of
some hundred thousands upon the
spreading miles Of the Capitals avenues
and streets. while London uses SlO.OO0.OoO
10 widen one thoroughfare. and Paris,
Berlin and Vienna each spend in one
year what the city of magnificent dis
tances dare l. spend in twenty. Yet
we are the prodigal spenders of the
earth, the Continent our schoolmaster in
frIiSality and thrift
In this year of our Lord, hoof of Phil
ippinc caribou presses better roads than
wheel of automobile ofttimes plOws
through within the District of Columbia.
The road builders of the century! Yes,
everywhere, except at home.
Turbaned Arabs marketing their leeks
and onions meath the shadows of the
mosques of Cairo find a new world imi-
tation grotesque and fragrant at the cap
ital of the Western world, where under
marble walls of United States Depart
ment of Agriculture cries from the
shambles of market-place shred the air.
Before beautiful shrine of our American
Ceres priest of Mohammedan temple sa-