Evening star., 1923-06-04
Tell the Story of Washington!


Shriners will not have much time,
between sightseeing and ceremonies
and parades and enjoyment during
the stay in Washington, to talk about
Serious affairs. But it is to be hoped
that whenever Washingtonian
catches one in a leisure moment he
will tell him the story of the capital.
~ 1t is a great story, that of the capi-
tai, how it was established, city
made out of nothing, a city made TO
order, as it were, to serve as the seat
of government; how it was neglected
by the nation for a long period; how it
struggled against adversely; how it
steadily. grew despite handicaps; how
il found its resources insufficient and
was compelled to beg again and again
for governmental aid; how that aid
was given grudginGly and inadequate
ly: how in the early seventies Con-
gress transformed it from IA group of
municipalities into a territory with
governor and legislature and vote
less delegate in Congress; how under
that regime great public works were
undertaken that corrected certain bad
conditions. but put the District in debt
beyond its power to redeem: how Con-
gress then, after a prolonged inquiry,
decided upon the present form of gov
ernment. with Commissioners named
by the President. and the United
States itself assuming one-haf of the
municipal expenses; how after long
time under that method, with a re-
markable growth in every direction,
with the development of the capital in
the particulars that make the National
city, Congress saw fit to repudiate the
bargain of 1878 and changed the ratio
of nationaklocal payments to 1850 per
cent how now in climax of many
years of effort Washington is asking
for enfranchisement, for the adoption
of a constitutional amendment that
will enable Congress to give it the
right to be represented in the two
houses of the national legislature and
in the electoral college.
That, in brief, is the story of Wash
ington to date-very brief, indeed. 1t
is a wonder story, a story of city max
ing extraordinary, of disappointed
hopes, of gradual revival of aspiration,
of steadfast devotion by the Washing
tonians to the task of making their
city worthy, without once being ad.
United to the status of citizens.
Tell this story TO the Shriners, brief
ly, as the circumstances of their visit
require, but impressively. Tell them
what Washington, unaided has done,
and what Washington, aided, has been
able to do; what remains to be done;
how the schools are still inadequate
and the police force too small and the
fire department insufficient in fact, all
the municipal equipment short of
necessity. Point to the uneven. rough
pavements, not the fault of Washing
ton itself, but of the failure of the ap.
propriative body to supply the funds
for their proper maintenance. Make
plain to these citizens of the country
al large, who are partners in the
Washington of today, that one of the
reasons why this city has not de-
veloped as it should is that it has no
voice in the making of the laws which
govern it, and no direct representation
in the body that taxes it and spends
IT'S money.
That is story that should appeal
10 every American, whether he wears
q. fez or not. Every Washingtonian
should tell it before the week has
ended