Evening star., 1915-03-29

had no real representation. and sensitive
ly resenting misconceptions born Of sec
| tional ignorance concerning their re
sources, spirit and tendency. can sympa
thize with a community whose presen
politically resembles In some respects
legislate with peculiar wisdom and CON
sideration for this bit Of national soil
doing to the capital as they would thai
the nation had done unto them In thu
] times that are gone.
l But the strongest hold OF the capita
upon north and west-upon patrtout
Americans everywhere-arises from thu
fact that 1t embodies the national idea
\ Washington was brought into being al
peculiarly and exclusively the home ane
| abiding place Of the nation as distin
guished from the states. Instead OF Sc
| lecting as the capital an existing city
| Of some state, the nation determined te
create a capital which should be iargel.
owned and exclusively controlled by the
| republic itself. With this purpose IN view
It acquired by gift title to fve-seventht
of the soil Of the city that 1t created
and reserved to itself by the organic law
islation in this capital. 1t planned mag
nif1cent city upon unimproved lands ano
sold lots upon the implied agreemen,
that the capital should be permanen.
and that the grand design on paper o.
the nations city would be made q reality
by the nation. The capital was the crys-
taIlizat,on Of the national idea: It was
the substantial embodiment OF tne 40
stract Union. the naturalization OF i
power superior to that Of the state. II
arousing jealousies in the other states.
It is the city of the nation. the whole
nation.
The south's Sympathy.
Tho south 10 held fast by the hrmest
bonds of sympathy with the capital
The passing of slavery removes the
point Of greatest sensitiveness tnat was
touched by the existence Of national
city. and no abstract view concerning
the relations Of state and nation inter-
feres longer with pride in and affection
for the capital Of the south. as well as
Of the north, and east, and west Inc
city was founded by southerners ana
the dangers that menaced its infahcy
were warded on by them Wasnington'
Jefferson, Madison, Clay. Crawforo.
Calhoun and jackson are on the first
page Of the list Of the capftare fr1enos.
The west and north have supplied tnelr
full quota Of notable names to this Ast.
especially since the war the estsa great msn IN
enroll themselves among those VINO
have labored hardest to make the cap.
ital worthy Of the republic reouke ana
put to shame the notion which seems
Congress that the brains Of legislators
are not broad enough to consider
thoughtfully both capital and national
affairs. and that II is statesmanlike
capital There IL no act Of the fore
fathers which gives more convincing
evidence Of wise forethought than tho
creation and general design OF the ma
Of today are fully to carry out; There
10 in addition the new Washington
that has sprung up outside OF the orig
inal boundaries. which needs its George
il without los. Of dignity and to their
lasting credit Henry Clay and Andrew
Jackson could throw themselves. a.
they did. enthusiastically into the
labor Of securing for the capitai
statesman Of today 50 great that he
win not acquire new laurels By the
performance Of similar and much.
needed task for the present city. There
can be no moro ennobling and patriotic
name with those Of tho illustrious fore
fathers in developing and adorning the
city Of the Union. the nation In minia-
ture. fostering the national sentiment
realizing the national aspiration. graft
flying the national pride.
What IL done for the capital is done
for the nation and for the promotion
Of national sentiment. All three ad.
vance toEether; The national value OF
influence Il not to be disregarded or
underrated When the southerners Sc
ceded they left Washington with regret
and looked forward to the predicted
legislate under the southern dag. They
have returned to the city which south
erners founded. protected and loved.
and they legislate under the southern
nas-the dag Of tho Union-south.
nd nd q
Of them thank God today that It Is 80.
They are here neither az captives nor
as conquerors in q strange city. but as
prodisals returned to q home, the
sociations both joyful and pathetic.
standing upon land In which they have
an interest, and governed exclusively
by the Union. Of which they are part
In Washington every American is at
home. whether the pine. the cypress or
the cottonwood grew above him. Here
is the altar Of American patriotism.
not to be approached under the scrip
tural Injunction without reconciliation
with our brother Of the south. or north.
Americans come together on equal
terms. with a common interest. The
west learns the east. the north the
south and vice versa. All sections are
dices are softened and gradually re.
moved. National sentiment dominates
the American spirit 10 developed and
patriotism Is strengthened In tho ma
tional crucible sectional jealousies and
hatred are removed and the pure gold
Of American patriotism remaina-
George Washington's Foresight.
George Washington foresaw this uni
flying. nationalizing function Of the capt.
tai. and for that reason proposed to locate
in II the national university which he pro-
1ected Here. he said. the susceptible
youth OF the land. In the atmosphere of
the nations city and viewing the work
ings OF the general government. would be
impressed with love Of our national n
stitutions. counteracting both foreign In
fiuences and sectio nal sentiments The
| university OF which he dreamed was never
born. but. carrying out his idea on a
| come national university in which all
Americans are students. for the promotion
o. liberal. enlarged and patriotic Amer
. icanism, teaching love Of country and
making of all OF US better citizens.
| Superstition and tradition have asso-
ciated the fate Of more than one Of the
great nations of the world with that OF
some material object
| While stands the Colosseum. Rome shall stand.
| When falls the Colosseum Rome shall fall
| The future OF the empire built on phys
ical force Is in fancy intertwined with the
] late of the vast structure in ~hich exhibi-
| tions Of that force in the bloody contests
| of radiators and the slaughter OF mar
| tyrs were habitaaliy displayed. 1t may
4 IL.