Evening star., 1922-11-21

The glory that is Washington of to-
day will prove but the first glinting of
rosy morn, the forerunner of noontide,
for the Washington Of the future is sure
to surpass in beauty, symmetry and
Importance anything that we can yet
see, except with the vision of prophecy.
Congress is about to consider a building
project amounting to more than $780,
100000, for the purpose Of housing in
government-owned structures all of the
government bureaus and these new
buildings will probably be SO placed as
to develop LEnfant's original compre-
hensive plan of ''the City Beautiful"
X X X \
1t is not architecture alone which dis
tinguishes Washington: no city sur
passes its arboreal beauty, though that
feature is not fully appreciated by
Congress, which recently has shown
great and sad neglect Of the trees which
make the city noteworthy. Rock Creek
Park excels Central Park, New York, in
natural charm, but the sylvan creek is
drying up because Of the encroach-
ments Of residences, and the diverting
of the natural drainage into sewers.
Great primeval forest trees are being
sacrificed In order to give room for
brick and mortar. New rows OF homes
are planned to build, next spring, where
old forests, with splendid trees and
rocky bluffs now grace the landscape
The park board is jealous of the i'm
pending loss, but apparently is power
less. without an appropriation from
congress to enable it to purchase the
sa!1ents of forest land which nature
gives as ready-made park. Will
Congress realize that a crisis confronts
the park system. and that by next spring
the hand of the vandal will have reaped
the harvest Of centuries of growth,
which. ono , destroyed, will never be re-
placed? Within the last three months
a great cash has been cut into the Rock
Sreek forest, near the Zoo. and further
ouIiuAng projected for this winter. or
early spring, will sacrifice the rest of
the forest adjoining Park road, Rose
mont place. and toward the Zoo, unless
the park board intervenes and takes
over the land before it is everlastingly
TOO late. That cannot be done without
Iunos from a congressional appropria-
ti0n. WIN the money be forthcoming?
Woodman, spare that tree"-multiplied
by few thousand.
In a few years, with the develop
ment of the Potomac for ocean YES
sells. We shall have here-upon the
opposite side of the river. may we not
hope:-a great industrial metropolis
OF a million population. We Shall
reailze then, the wonderful value of
the parks which lie now so freely open
to development.
What constitutes the state? Not its
buildings. but the spirit of its people.
What makes a political party? Its
organization? Its national executive
committee? Its latest election plat
form enunciation of doctrines of
political economy? Not at all These
are but the clothes. and underneath
an lies the spirit-the soul which
developed the party and breathed into
it the breath Of life. Many party
has been dead and not buried for
years after it had lost its life-giving
soul.
l trust that neither Of the "old par
ties will take these remarks to hear:
and have its feelings hurt. but it Will
certainly be desirable to turn on the
galvanic battery to prove that one or
two funerals are not next in order.
* X X
There is scarcely a dividing line be-.
tween the principles Of republicanism
and democracy today. In the recent
tariff debate we found strong demo-
cratic protectionists and some repub-
licanS wabbiing toward free trade
on many things not produced in their
own districts. And now come certain
statesmen proclaim.ng that the coun.
try can never be saved from the re-
actiona:es of both of the old par
ties. unless the progressives hold 1.-The
balance of power" and Congress lis
tens to progressive d!ctation. Well.
what's \ progressive? Every states
man believes himself progressive,
but not AL are riding on the La Fol
lette bandwagon or motor car. some
of the progressives want to override
the safeguards of the present Con-
stitution by an amendment giving
Congress the right 10 pass any law
over the decision of the Supreme
Court-however unconstitutional it
may be. however radically IL might
run contrary to the traditions of the
republic Is that merely progressive,
or is it radical revolution"
A generation ago. when Edward,
Prince of Wales. visited Philadelphia.
he heard so many remarks in society
concerning the Biddles that he be-
came puzzled and asked in all inno-
cence: 'What's a Bidder" Some of
"/e1 "s