Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-13

tectors. with appearance and health I'M
cared for. insufficiently nourished. and
wonderful to relate, develop rapidly and
vigorously.
Washington in Bankruptcy.
While Congress neglected Washington
its residents We're goaded by taunts at
the capital of the nation into desperate
EFFORTS to perform the task intended to
De performed by the government, but
left undone. Sums beyond their re-
sources were spent upon the improve
ment of the streets. in erecting city
buildings. and in the endeavof to give
the capital a commercial footing by dig
gfng the Chesapeake and Ohio canal.
but the effort was beyond their unas-
sisted strength. and the relief of Con-
gresS was sought Senator Southland,
IN 1885. reported that the debt of the
sl,S06. 1859: that ii had no means
from which 1t could apply at that time
single dollar to the discharge of its
obligations: that owing to its debts in
connection with the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal, foreign bankers would in
all probability become the owners of IA
great proportion of the property within
the capital of the Union: that the city
penditures which did not properly he
long to them although the views by
which they We're governed We're of a
liberal and public-spirited character.
and that nothing was found in the
conduct Of the inhabitants or the au-
thortties to excite in Congress d re-
luctance to come to their relief. Aid
was accordingly granted the bankrupt
city, but the recommendation. made by
Senator Southland. after an exhaustive
consideration Of the relations between
the nation and its capital. that the
government should pay regularly a pro-
10
regarded. and the city, though rescued
from foreign bankers. was permitted
to remain national disgrace. In 1899
George Combe. the British traveller de-
scribed the city as like large strag
swamp"
In 1852 Anthony Trollope was in
Mashington Like Tom Moore, Mrs
ceded him. he writes of the city in
dyspeptic spirit. Everything disagrees
with him. Washington" he says. SIS
but ragged. unfinished collection of
unbuilt broad streets, as to the com
pletfon of which there can now. I i'm
agfne be but little hope. OF all places
that I know II is the most ungainly
and most unsatisfactory. 1 fear must
pretensions"
Looking upon the city simultaneously
with MT Trollope, one can reply only
ieeniy to his structures. Unprejudiced
descriptions corroborate his account of
the forlorn condition of WASHINGTON at
that time.
Washington's Leap Into Prosperity.
But Mr.. TroIlope's disgust at the
Washington of the present was eoualed
only by his hopelessness in respect 70
Its future; and as a prophet he proves
complete failure. From the time
when the capital was camp and hos
pital. its streets filled with soldiers
and resounding with martial music. its
wounded and dying. It's development
as city has been continuous The
greater part of this magical transfer
nation has been wrought within the
struggling country village, with zig
gag grades. no sewerage. unimproved
reservations, second-rate dwellings,
streets of mud and mire, and wretched
sidewalks, the modern Washington has
arisen political. scientific and literary
center, with a population trebled since
1850; city sustained, improved and
adorned by an annual expenditure of
more than S4.000.O00; with surface re-
modelled; with an elaborate and costly
system of sewers and water mains;
with about $50 miles of improved
streets, nearly one-half of which are
paved with concrete; with convenient
transportation BY thirty-three miles of
street railway: with numerous churches
and schools, as we'll as government
buildings of architectural pretensions:
with broad streets shaded for dis
| lance of $50 miles by more than so 900
trees. destined to make Washington a
| forest city. with attractive suburban
drives; with reservations and parkings
given picturesque beauty by shrub
berry and rich foliage statuary, foun-
tainS and flowers, and with costly pri-
vate dwellings. rtvaling palaces In
size and splendor of interior adorn-
ment. sprfnging up in rapid succession
where Trollope sank knee deep in mud
This wonderful change for the better,
effected by certain wise and energetic
agents of the general government
whom the District delights to honor, is
the result. in part, of a reversal Of
the conditions which hampered the
city's growth. Congress. no longer hos
tile. or Indifferent concerning the pc
cunfary needs of the District, has spent
large sums not only upon public build
the city. at first spasmodically. since
1873 Systematically. The people of the
District. encouraged by the general
abandonment of the idea of a removal
of the seat of government. have also
made extensive OUTLAWS. But the main
public expense of the work of recreat
ing the city is represented by a pres
ent debt of more than 100000 0O0
nearly all of which has been incurred
by officials placed over the affairs of
the District by the general government
in carrying out those magnificent in
tentions' concerning the capital. which
by the original plan the nation and
not the District was to execute. If. by
any reasoning. the citizens of Wash
ington can be held legally or morally
responsible for this debt. it must be
said as was remarked by Senator
Southland in the similar case of 1895,
| that they have been 'misled into eX
penditures which do not properly be-
| long to them
A Little Bill for Back Pay.
| Washngton's recital of past grievances
must be modified somewhat to represent
just complaints at the present time. Capt.
tai movers no longer retard the city's
growth. The nations ''bantling" no
longer fears sudden death. Congress full
fills its obligations in respect to the im-
provement of the District with fidelity.
An appropriation equal to one-half of the
estimated District expenses is annually
made and considerable sums are fire.
quently appropriated for special purposes
which inure to the benefit of the capt.
tai. The ward Of the nation Is properly
clothed and fed There can be little com
plant Of injustice on the part of Congress
in its treatment of the capital so far as
OUTLAWS of the present are concerned If
the District has grievance in this re
spect it consists in the fact that the same
principle of dividing expenses which now
prevails has not been applied to previous
OUTLAWS. with the result of reimburSing
the District for past eX, endltures beyond
its proportion. It y ,.ifficIlt to see how,
with justice and consistency, this REIN
bursenlent can be avoided by Congress
The general government. by the fact
of planning a magnificent capital. cover
| i,,,r Nar md ,I,s l,-