The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-03
WASHINGTON MONU-
ArV


our ears, every newspaper writer in want of a
subject expatiates upon it, and every disre-
spectful foreigner who would pretend to dis
pute it would be looked upon with scorn and
contempt, even if he did not get his head
punched to convince him of the truth of the
proposition. We have our weaknesses, how
ever. There are some things for which, as
Artemus Ward would say, we have no 'fort."
There are few matters in which we generally
fail. One of our weak points is monument
building; in this we do not, as general rule,
succeed. Most of the monuments that we
have managed to complete owe their exist
ence to the exertions of few energetic and
enthusiastic individuals; but the ajority of
our efforts in that line approximate to
failures in an artistic sense at least. II is
tolerably evident that the great American
people, whatever their accomplishments in
other respects may be, have not as yet de-
veloped any very decided genius for monu-
ments.
Opposite to the Presidents house in Wash
ington there is a structure that resembles
huge factory smoke-stack, or rather that is
what it would look like if it were run up to
to be the biggest thing in the monumental
line in all creation. 1t was thought proper
that, as Washington was the greatest man that
ever lived, he should have the highest monu-
ment ever erected to perpetuate his memory.
1t is lucky for Washington that the perpetua-
ton of his fame does not depend upon the
monument, for he would be more than half
forgotten by this time.
About twenty years ago the cornerstone of
this emblematc smoke-stack was laid with
imposing ceremonies, and Daniel Webster de-
hvered an Grafton, in which he demonstrated
in manner satisfactory to all his auditors
the utility of monuments in general and the
importance of this one in particular. Some
what less than one-half of the structure was
run up, and then the funds ran out, and for
more than ten years it has stood upon the soft
ground of the Mall, disgrace to the nation,
an eye-sore to every visitor to the capi-
tai, and threatening every day to tum-
BILE over by its own weight. The opinion
has begun to prevail very generally that the
best thing to do with the affair would be to
tear it down, and run the risk of having
Washingtons memory survive in the hearts
of hiscountrymen without any such extraneous
aids. Within few days past, however, the
air has been thick with rumors that Mr. Will
liam b. Astor has expressed an intention to
finish the National Washington Monument
at his own expense. Mr.. Astor has money
enough to undertake the job, and if he should
undertake it, it would be monument for
him as well as for Washington. Mr.. Astor
4ha hol &c
ing his cash around in very
loose manner heretofore, and there is very
excellent reason for concluding that he never
intended to undertake any such an enterprise
as this. The general impression seems to be
that it would be a mere waste of money for
Mr.. Astor, or anybody else, to invest cash
in the National Washington Monument, and
some of the New York papers are therefore
suggesting the propriety of his erecting a
Washington monument entirely on his own
hook in Central Park
There is a certain amount of absurdity in
this proposition that requires no particular
demonstration. If Mr.. Astor does intend to
erect Washington monument, he shouldplace
it in this city, and there will be no difficulty
in his obtaining the intersection of Broad and
Market streets for site, provided he under
takes to do the job in frst-rate style. In Cen
tral Park it would be in measure hidden
from the world while at the location we have
suggested it would be seen of men and hon
ored accordingly.
However this may be, it is certainly to be
hoped that our great national failure at Wash
ington will either be completed by MIR. Astor
or some other charitably disposed millionaire,
or else torn down and put out of sight as soon
as possible. At present it is standing dis
| grace to the people of the United States.