The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-01-19


In spite Of It's intimate history
whereby the White House enters so
essentially into the life Of the people,
It is its decorative setting that first
appeals to the visitor II is the man
ner in which Major L'Enfants century
old dream has been realized that is so
wonderful The capital is famous the
world over for its avenues nTd vistas,
its canopied foot-paths, stately build
ings, parks, and splendid monuments.
The White House Is essentially a part
Of the general layout Of Washington.
1t is tied to it; it belongs TO it. No
sympathetic visitor would isolate 1t for
one moment It is part of the Wash
ingtOn park scheme, as much as the
palaces of France or Italy or any 9th
er Old-wOrld official residences are a
portion Of their setting of their sunk
en- or Talled gardens, their fountains
or terraces. Nature has done little
for London and hardly more even for
Paris, but much for Washington. 1t
IS interesting to see to what fine use
a remarkable site has been put and
the way in which the best has been
made Of the opportunity. The charm
inspires every visitor. He is forced
to recognize how well it all goes to-
gether.
However often we may look at the
quaint old wOOdcuts for the detail of
the White House when it was a build !
Ing isolated and alone, destitute of
trees or shrubbery, the site outlined |
In a primitive fashion by a wooden |
paling, we are compelled to see that |
the idea was right. That is to be |
seen today, now that the White House |
Is tied to Washington and to it's won
derful park scheme, just as it is to the |
history of the people by a wonderful |
network OF policies, the ebb and flow |
Of ambitions, and by the change of Of
ficecs, who, like figures in a great
pageant, arrive at intervals, dominate
things for a time, and then pass on.
Niscount Bryce in his own gracious
fashion voices the idea Of the fathers
when he says, "WaShngton Is the EN-
bodiment of the majesty Of the whole
nation, and the man from Maine and
Minneapolis and Florida must feel
that Washington belongs to him." Con
dnuing, that distinguished ambassador
compares this ideal city to CONSTANT
nOple and Calcutta because of their
park systems, He calls attention TO
the beauty of Rock Creek valley, re.
Gently set aside as park, joining the
woods that stretch along Potomac
river. He says, washington seems
consecrated to society, to the delight
Of human intercourse"
We hear a great deal today Of Amer.
ica as commercial, material Is not
this an occasion for congratulation?
May Americans not well be proud of
the success which gives happy homes
to so many thousand families? In this I
1t follows closely the history of the I
dim eastern empires Of Athens, of
Rome, and In our own time, of Eng :
land. Still, the republic claims uni '
versal salutatiOn to the thought that /
idealism is still the Characteristic of .
the American people as it was in the i
colonial days. To dispose of the sub S
ject in a colloquial manner, the great t
heart Of the people is sound, though t
1t has flirted at times with false gods, l
I We have but to look at Washington !
for a moment to realize in the counte- q
nance Of the average citizen the de- y
light in o great ideal. He is proud Of S
the city A visit to the District Of c
Columbia will remove in an instant {
any element of doubt as to American L
veneration for the spirit of imagina- {
ton and ambition. 1
Like every country house the execu- l
tive mansion grew from the ground up q
and not from the drawing office down, !
and yet, in this particular instance, c
the drawing office played very es- t
sential part in the general arrange S
ment of things; for the scheme is so