Evening star., 1924-12-24
YOU AND UNCLE SAM
Series of Educational Articles Telling o,o Federal Govern.
n,ent Is rgunized and How 1t Functions-Written
: s">e Expressly, for School Children.
BY. WILL p. KENNEDY
No. 22-The Seat of Goyernm

a. - -. ga a :
We are apt to take everything too
much for granted z aboEt goitr Gov
,ernment. Every one throughout the
country knows that the Capital City
is sWashfngtons on the fbankslsof the
historic Potomac, and uses Washing
ton as a synonym. for ither Federal
Governm ent. Many have heard that
Washington is 1.-THE rnosts beautiful
city an all the tworld.1, = Few. even
Of those who live In the CAPITAL City
and spend their days in Uncle Sam S
workshop, really know much &oft any
thing, about this wonderful metrop-
oils. -. : j.. : r =. $ p t,l15I
Washington is the only cityIin all
creation designed and built UP ex-
clusively as the capital of "a great
nation. Congress, then sitting in
Philadelphia, was heckled ahd. in
suited Immediately after the Revo-
luton by the unpaid troops. Con-
| gres8 forthwith moved to Princet on
University and there passed a a.reso-
luton to erect buildings for the use
of Congress on either the Delaware
or Potomac River.
1t was this unpleasant experience
with the soldiery that is responsible
for the decree which makes the Fed
eral City the one places under the
Stars and Stripes where the citizens
have not the right to vote. The fa-
theirs were fearful that the military
then predominant in the Government
might capture Congress and coerce
it's actions.
The land-10 miles square-was
purchased as a. site for the Capital
City from four pIanters-Young, Car
roll, Davidson and Burns. Washing
ton himself laid out the city, aud
called to his assistance in, drafting
thH plans a brilliant young engineer,
Maj. Pierre Charles BEnfant,, who
had - come to. this country '. with
Lafayette in 1777. After studying tn G
plans of the great European cities
procured. by Washington. Maj.
LEnfant devoted the Summer OF 1871
to the task. He visioned and charted
a great world capital. far beyond the
Immediate needs or even seeming
possibilities of those days when the
heart Of the present metropolis was
nothing but a quagmire of mud. He
designed "a city of magnificent dis
tances."
Fully 120 years ago Baron Hum
boldt, standing on the west balcony
Of the Capitol Building. was en-
thralled at what he described as "the
most beautiful view of its type in the
world"
=1n6 ~Hfu0hOte mas peen -ueV6iCpSQ
into a great world center of finances.
of. business, of art, OF education and
culture, of scientific knowledge, of
research Of humanitarianism Of
religious devotion, of legislation. The
whole world looks to the Capital City
of the United States of America for
leadership in all lines OF community y
life, social intercourse and progress.
Laid out with its streets in orderly
squares. and Ha agonal avenues, named
after the several States, ratliatih z
from the Capitol as a center, the city
has been adorned with. small parks
at street intersections. and a. chain
Of large parks surrounding the city.
one (Which Is the best wooded park
in any municipality in the world.
Handsome buildings have been erect
ed TO house Government activities
and the growing business and hous-
ing needs of a. great world center.
Statues Of the Nations heroes and
magnificent memorial structures
further beautify the Capital and