Evening star., 1923-08-05
Transformation of
the National Capital.

the National Capital. s't'''
garded by Washingtonians as a per-
manent form of capital administra-
ton. This is brought out in an edi-
torlal printed in The Star of July 80
1873, elected by a letter printed in
the New York Tribune which forecast
change to Il commission created b
Congress The Star says:
Large numbers Of our citizens, in
cluding members OF the District gov
ernment. have long held that il Con
gress has exclusive Jurisdiction ove:
this District. il should exercise IL and
that the District could he much NOR
effectively and cheaply governed BY 4
commission than in any other way
That this Will he brought about some
day we have no doubt. and il is no.
unlikely, indeed, that this will be tn.
entering wedge in changing the form
or municipal government throughout
the country.
so far as this District is concerned
the present form of government de
spite some cumbrous and unnecessary
expensive features, has had a mission
and fitness for carrying out the great
work of improvement needed with
tremendous energy and thoroughness
Their task accomplished the future
work of controlling here is greatly
simplified and can be done at mini
mum expense and with d small num-
ber of officials.
and miseries. but we can all call to
mind the deplorable condition az
Washington city when these much
abused gentlemen entered upon their
task-the unpaved dirt streets. mud
in winter. dust in summer. the moss
sly he
most conspicuous squares in the city.
the filthy. stagnant canal. hopeless Of
Improvement; rutty outlines of ave
nues. leading nowhere and ending in
nothing; the turnpike nuisance a
every outlet of the city: great thor
oughfares leading to the country in
such a condition Of moraSs. ruts.
rocks and mud Is effectually to dis
courage countrymen from bringing
their produce to the city for many
months in the year; bankrupt city
treasury. and yet nothing to show
for the money: Encouragement and
disgust on the part of the people: eN-
ulting hopefulness on the part of the
capital-movers: hostility on the part
of Congress preventing appropriations
these are a few of the we'll remem
bered items OF the dolorous chapter.
Under this state of affairs "A few citi-
zens of energy and public spirit de
termined to make desperate effort
10 TeUeem Ine CITY, anu IbIlOhtu III
that resolve with untlagging courage
despite the clamor of the do-nothing
on the one side and the malignants on
the other.
THE results are before US. The
! Capital city Is now worthy OF the
name. The talk of moving the capt.
tai Is silenced forever. to the great
advancement of property. The de
rision heaped upon the city by visit
ors is changed to praise. The appro-
priations by Congress have been on
| an unprecedented scale. showing the
readiness of the national governfne nj
I to respond fully to any real effort
by our citizens to improve the capital.
and there seems to be no reason to
doubt that the good will thus estab-
lished between the general govern
ment and the District will result in n
| continuance of this fostering care oC
District interests
ITO do this revolutionary work re-
| uuired strong, resolute men. who could
not be turned aside by Glamor or in
| duced to take a vaciltating. irreSolute @
| course; robust men. willing to shout
der a load of censure and fault find :
! ing for time and content to wait
f, for their justification in the results
| That work done, their mission will
K be ended, and they will, We are sure.
willingly lay down the shovel and
| the hoe and take a deserved rest
after their labors."