Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-16
Washington Never ForesaW
Problems of Today.


should take over a private enterprise.
He believed that where private enter
prise initiated an undertaking which
promised national benefit the nation
or the states should aid It, II was In
line with that policy that the states
of Maryland and Virginia bought stock
In the Potomac Improvement Com
pany.
And this suggests very important
thing throwing light on Washington's
character. He had the instincts OF
man of big business and he projected
great schemes which promised ma
tional glory and private profit, He
never succeeded in any of them, but
tas is no reflection on the man. There
were insuperable obstacles.
His greatest plan contemplated
union of the Atlantic and the great
lakes by means of the Potomac river,
~ short portage over the Allegheny
mountains, one of the streams tlow-
ing into the Ohio river from the
western slope of those mountains, a
river flowing southwark into the ONO
and a canal thence to connect one of
the rivers flowing northWard into
Lake Erie lie wanted that his name
should be associated with work OF
such stupendous national Importance.
He was the oWncr OF large tracts OF
land in the ohio Shenandoah and Po-
tomac valleys,
In a larger than personal sense
he wanted the United States then a
sparsely settled confederation along
the Atlantic coast. TO control the
trade of the continent east or the
Mississippi riVer--first, because he be-
lieyed Ii would he a good thing for
the United States to have it. and. sec
ond because it would he pre1udtcfal
to the United states that England
should control this territory through
the St. Lawrence river or spain
through the Mississippi. 1e wanted
the old part of the United States to
establish connection with this settlers
in the western territory and he want
ed this trade to pass through Mary
land and Virginia. rather than
through Pennsylvania or New York.
But it was the Erie canal that was
built A vast sum of money, as money
was measured then, was spent on the
improyement of the Potimac river
It never once occurred to George
Washington that this vast enterprise
should be put through by the ma
tional government. but his theory
was that the states should give their
aid to the private corporation. How
upsidedowu George Washington's
views must seem TO the present ad-,
voeates of government ownership 81
Washington could not run for Press
ident today without modifying his
believed in the importation of for
eign labor, and workmen were inn
ported in order to help build the
city of Washington He wrote from
Philadelphia December is. 1892, to
the commissioners of the Federal
District District of Columbian, as
follows:
The more consider the subject the more
am convinced of the exp-dency Of importing
number Of workmen from Europe TO be en-
ployed in the Federal city. The measure has
not only economy 10 recommend IL but II Is
important by placing the quantity of labor
which may he performed by such persons upon
a certainty for the term for which thss shall
be engaged.
He writes extensively on this sub
ieet. No man cotid hold a place aaw
in public life and advocate the Inn
portation OF contract labor. Wash
ington wrote OF the amount to be
paid the contractors and ship owners
per head" for the delivery OF these
workmen at an American port