The Colorado statesman., 1921-02-19

pointed aud instructed them as to where they
should locate the permanent capital. Ihose com
mssoners named the city for the man who had
led the victorious armies of the colonies In the
Revolution and who was then serving as fresl
dent. Many fairy stories have been written ABOUT
how Washington personally selected the site for
the capital, "even driving some of the surveyors
stakes" etc. The unvarnished truth is that he
merely carried out the will of congress by APP
pointing n commission which was instructed by
congress to do a certain thing
From the day the tract ten miles square was
staked out WashIngon's impress has been In the
city and Its envlrons. That impress stands out
clearer the years pass. More than million
persons, Americans by birth or adoption. gain
Inspiration every year merely by looking
upon the material things that connect the days
when Washington moving about there In the
flesh with the present time Thousands of for
egners benefit in the same way. There Is never
any pause in the stream of pilgrims to Mt. vernon
or In the throng that is always on the way to the
top of the Washington monument. Winter and
summer, through sunshine and storm, the homage
paving to the Father of his Country" goes on
Every recurring anniversary of his birth seemingly
Increases the interest in his memory On these
anniversaries floral decorations are invariably
piled high in the tomb at Mt. Vernon. and neither
branch of congress ever fails to provide that MS
farewell address shall be read
Probably because the point has never been EN-
phnsized many persons have the idea, 1t seems
that Washington lived for a short time in the
city that bears his name. There is also a popu-
liar Delief tnat tne WuSHlHSlonS ut ohe ilhe W
,cupled the White House. Washington was never
a resident of the permanent capital. The seat
of government was in Philadelphia when con
gress voted to locate the capital where 1t Is, ana
Washington had temporary home in that city
ON returning from Philadelphia at the close or
Ills second term President he gave consider
able personal attention to the early developments
of the new capital He frequently rode up from
Mt. Vernon on his favorite black morse TO see
how things coming on.
who YOuld undertake to that he did not
visualize the national capital in some such form
as II stands today? If he did, he saw In his
Imagination the Capitol building on Capitol HILL
the Library of Congress with Its golden dome In
the rear of the Capitol, the magnificent office
buildings for senate and house of representatives
the expansive Mall extending from the Capitol to
the Potomac, with the monument to his own men,
ory the most conspicuous thing on 1T; and he
also saw the splendid memorial to Abraham Lin
tcoil which has just been completed, as well as
the memorial to U. S. Grant, which Is almost
ready to be turned to the government. And
who again would say that he did not have vision
of the resident section Of the city extending far
beyond the White House to the northwest?
Washington the White House occu-
pied To some extent 1t represents his Ideas OF
what a combined home and business office for
the President should be-the original Idea
that the President should make the house his
residence and also his workshop Washington as
a Mason assisted in laying the cornerstone of
the White House. That formality was conducted
by Masonic lodge in Alexandria of which
Washington member.
1t is certain that he deeply interested in
the work of construction. At the time OF his
death the house practically ready for occu-
pancy The furnishings being placed In
position Only few days before his death he
and Mrs Washington went through the entire
building and, according to the chroniclers OF the
time keenly Interested in every detail Of the
place which to be the home OF future Pres
dents.
To-day as 1t has ever been, II is not so much
the things with the Washington stamp on them
as those In the nearby districts that interest the