Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-05
For Us He Is "Three Gentle.
men at e"-President
Hoover, Gov. Hoover,
Mayor Hoover.
THE IDEAL PRESIDENT
Editorial Correspondence of The Star.
THEODORE w. MOVES.


the District and mayors of the City of
Washington. And to us of the District
the President is, like Mrs. Malaprop's
Cerberus, three gentlemen at once" to
wit: President Hoover, Gov. Hoover
and Mayor Hoover.
How faithfully has each successive
President-governor- mayor of the Dis
trict performed his diversified func-
tons? A study of the Presidents in
their relation to the Capital shows that
every one since Washington, with the
exception of President Wilson. has as
the minimum of consideration expressed
in some message during his administra-
ton a sympathetic patriotic interest in
the Capital and its people. And many
of them have urged personally and put
in operation practical measures Of mate
rial upbuilding or artistic adornment Of
the Capital.
President Wilson. who broke so many
precedents, specialized in his messages,
dealing only with the most important
of national and international topics,
overlooking the District.
Financial Equity for Washington.
The presidential thoughts concern
ing Washington embodied in presi-
dental messages not only constitute
an interesting record of what has been
done, but a treasury and arsenal OF
facts, figures and opinions of value In
| reaching a wise conclusion as to what
should be done to develop and promote
the welfare of the Capital. For instance,
from the time of Washington. Adams,
Jefferson and Monroe, sidelightS are
thrown on the circumstances surround
| ing the creation of the Capital by the
Nation, the responsibility of the Ma
ton for its city and the financial re-
| lations of the Nation and Capital in
the National Capital partnership, flrst
in discussion of the wise disposition of
the Capitals land endowment; then in
| JackSon's time in connection with the
city's bankruptcy of 1885, in the at
| tempt of the people of the city to per-
| form unaided the Nations task of
| Capital development; and then. under
Grant and Hayes, in the wise read
| justments created by the acts of 1874
and 1873 tsee Senator Southard's report
| in Jacksons administration and in
connection with JackSons sympathetic
! reference to the city's financial condi-
ton and needs.
City's Material Development.
Concerning Washington as the site
of national university and as
| national educational center of the Re-
public, George Washington In his mes
sages, as well as in his letters and his
will; Jefferson and Madison in mes
sageS, Monroe in his letter commencing
Columbian College, John Quincy Adams
Grant and Hayes have put themselves
vigorously on record.
A few other recommendations for
the material welfare of the District
are distributed as follows among the
Presidents. Jail-Jefferson, Roosevelt,
Taft. Codification of laws-JackSon
| 1880, etc., Van Buren, 183D, Pierce
1855, Buchanan 1883, Cleveland
son 1882, 1884 and 1886, Fillmore
1852), Cleveland 1886, Mckinley
1890, Taft Q9l2). Water supply
Fillmore 1880, 1852, 1889. Pierce
| 1889, Hayes 1880. Insane asylum
Tyler $3.50, Pierce 1850. Police
Tyler (l84D. Reclamation of Potomac
flats-Hayes U877 to 1890. Public i'm
provements, streets, public grounds,
canals, etc.--Monroe 1920, Fillmore
1882, Grant u873, etc.. Charitable
observation-disclosures (1852), Lincoln
| (l863-4), Hayes u878). Board OF
charities-Hayes O877). Railroads in
Washington-Lincoln Q86D, Hayes
1879, Arthur 088l). New District
Building-Arthur 1880, Cleveland
1896. Liquor laws-Cleveland t1885
1 g. tn
Sewerage ommission-Harrison 1880.
National Capital Kinley
| 1888. 1899, 1900. Social and
economic Northumberland, Taft.
Park extension-Taft. Development as
City Beautiful Coolidge.
President and People Of Washington.
| The Presidents have not neglected
| to consider the welfare either of the
| national city, with its streets, parks,
buildings and monuments, or of the
| people composing the real city, the
| National Capital community. And in
| thinking wisely and sympathetically
concerning this community they have
| planned to meet not only the people s
| moral and intellectual needs, but to
satisfy so far as the national inter
| ests permit their political rights as
l
years that the monstrous doctrine Is
| propounded that the national interest
requires that half a million or a mil
lion of Americans at the seat OF gov
eminent shall be forever de-Ameri-
canized, remaining perpetual aliens sc
far as representation in the Legislative
and executive branches OF government
is concerned, and less than aliens (the
Supreme Court has said in their re-
lation to the judicial branch of the
National Government.
Concerning the government OF the
District and the political rights OF 1t:
people are the references of Monroe
U818), Jackson 1880, 1881 and 1885,
U841). johnson G866), Grant Q871
1872, 1873, 1870, Hayes U877 to 1880
inclusive), Cleveland concerning police
regulations, 1886, Roosevelt (trans.
hitting Reynolds report, 1909 and
Taft 0n opposition to local franchise
1922, In the same connection are to be
considered the local referendum vott
under Buchanan 1889, and Johnson!
veto message 1850, discussing the
right of the people of the Capital t.
cast a referendum vote which shoule
be respected by Congress.
Cordial and Reciprocal Regard.
Summarizing, the relations between
Presidents and Washingtonians hav,
been cordial and marked by recipro
cal regard. The President, though no
a part of the municipal corporation
which directly manages local executive
concerns, is, as the appointive powe
of the official heads of this corpora
ton and through his veto, an impor
. tant factor in the exclusive Legislative,
power of Congress in respect to tn,
Capital These powers of the Presiden
are coupled with duties and response
bilities and in most administrations thi
, fact has been duly recognized.
The relations of Washington to tn,
representatives of the Federal Govern
ment have. as a rule, been closer ant
: more cordial with the executive thar