Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-01-22
lrnom OUR nreulAn coRnrsrosDEsT.I
NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 1872

lFRoM OUR REGULAR CoRREsPoSDEST.l
New YORK, Jan. 20, 1872.
You will have seen that the statue of Bcnja-
min Franklin was on Wednesday nnyciled-or
rather unflagged-to public view; for the I'M
yelling consisted simply in letting fall bran
new American flag by which the statue had
been hidden. OF the ceremonies which took
place, you knew about as soon as did, for
was not present, and learned all about them
from the newspapers Of the next morning. An
hour before the ceremony had occasion to pass
through Printing House square," so called, I
suppose, because it is not in the least like a
square or any other form known to mathema-
ticians. The little space was pretty well crowd
ed. As worked my way in front of the
Tribune office, overheard few words of con-
versation between couple of young women
Isn't that the statue of the man who was shot"
asked one. ayes, suppose so" was the reply.
| am wholly uncertain whether the speakers
supposed the statue to have been erected in
honor of Albert D. Richardson or James Fisk.
On the one hand, it seemed proper that monu-
ment to Richardson should front the Tribune Of
flee. On the other hand, Fisk was the last man
whose shooting is a matter of talk. | believe,
on the whole, that the fair speakers imagined
the figure to represent Fisk.
There are many things that we Americans can
do, and some that we can not. Among the
things that we can not do, are 10 make statue
and TO get up an impressive public demonstra
ton. OF this statue of Franklin will speak as
endclly as l can; for zone must not look Gift
horse in the mouth" 1t might have been a
great deal worse than it is. For example, the
artist might have represented Franklin in Ro-
man costume, sitting astride of telegraph wire,
or climbing up libertv-pole, with a printing
press in one hand, and Poor Richards almanac
in the other. What we have is simply an elder
" gentleman, in drab coat aud brooches. stand
ing bareheaded, and apparently, making
speech. For all artistic purposes, the artist
might qnlte as well have got tailor to make
brown coat, long vest, and small-.lothes, stuffed
them with bran, and then put any plaster cast
of the head of nice old gentleman on top, and
told us that this was Benjamin Franklin. As
for he face, it looks vastly like that Of Horace
Greeley. Some day must write to you letter
about art, with special reference to the odd
ideas which our sculptors try to perpetuate in
marble and bronze.
The ceremony of Inauguration can not be
called brilliant success. A raw January day
is not pleasant time for an out-ol-door exhibi
ton. 1t was graceful thing that Mr.. Morse
should take a prominent part. The few words
winch he said were fit for the occasion. The
long prayer by Mr. Deems was not quite called
for He closed by reciting the Lords prayer;
if he had omitted all that went before, it could
not have been better. Mr.. Savage, who
accepted the statue in behalf of the printers is
a good typograDher, but hardly great orator.
do not think many of his auditors even guessed
what he was talking about until they read the
report of his speech in the papers.
| imagine-for was not there-that they had
a good time at the subsequent dinner at Del
monico's. / do not see how it could have been
otherwise when the presiding officer was the
Rev. DIR. IsenRus Prime. The gentlemen, albeit
a doctor of divinity, and editor-in-chef of that
staunch old religious newspaper, the New York
Observer, is one of the most genial and witty of
men. In fact, for several years he had the max
zine, which was certainly never more ceyerly
conducted than when il was in his hands.
In my last letter promised to speak of the
Stewart endowment. The precise form which
this is to take has not been divulgcd. Mr.
Stewart has an excellent faculty OF holding his
tongue. The most impudent newspaper inter
viewer can get nothing from him whelefrom to
make an item. His righthaud knows just what
his left hand is doing, but neither hand tells
anything to Others All one can know Of what
Mr. Stewart means to do must lie gathered from
what he has DONE Before speak of the Stew
art endowment, mast say something of the
man himself
1t has come to be a custom to represent every
man who has acquired fortune as having
started with nothing, either by way of educa-
ton or cash. This may be true in some cases,
but it is not true of Alexander Stewart. He
was born in Belfast, Ireland, but of Scotch an
cestry, as his name shows, When he was boy
of eight years he became an orphan, his nearest
living relative being the father of his mother.
I his good man was a Methodist, aud he pro-
posed that his grandson should become a
preacher of that denomination. He was placed
in good school, from which he passed to Tim
Try college, Dublin, whence be graduated with
honor But before this was done, his grand
father died, leaving him alone in the world. His
own country Sc med TO offer no inducements for
him TO make it his home, while the great new
world lay open before hin. So IN 1928, he being
then scarcely twenty wears old, he came 10 New
York, bringing with him good sum in money,
and the best letters of Introduction. The best
thing TO be done was TO turn his education TO
account He opened school. Among his pu-
pills there are now living more than one who has
since made bis mark in the world. One OF the
old pupils Of Alexander Stewart is now at the
head of the largest publishing establishment in
America, perhaps the largest in the world.
Accident, as we call it, made Stewart mer-
chant, rather than a clergyman or a college pro-
lessor. He had invested his money IN a mer-
camille venture, with what seemed good part
ner, who was 10 conduct the concern. The
partner proved inadequate to carry on the bust
ness, and the young teacher found the whole re-
sponsibility thrown upon him. He accepted the
situation, and became merchant How he has
prospared in that vocation need not here be
rold. From Fl st to last, the one guiding piinci
pie has been that his business should be hon
estly done. He is a shrewd mana close one
proLably-in all transactions. When he buys he
means TO get bis moneys worth. To all his
employees, and their number amounts to thou
sands, he pays salaries fair, but not extraya-
giant. But they must do their work, be it great
or small. The clerk who is negligent or incapa-
BILE finds his place vacant. Strict honesty is the
rule. The prices Of Lis goods are raised or low
cred according to the market. But there are no
tricks of trade, The thing sold is just what it
purports to be- Its named price to-day is the
only one for which it is sold to-day. Tomorrow
1t nay be more or it may be less. There is no use
to try TO chatter with clerks. There are the
goods; that is the price; purchase or not as
| you please. Henceit hascome to he understood
that when you purchase at Stewards Won get
Just what YOU bought. l1you bought silk Won get
silk; If you bought cotton you get cotton. If
Won ask for Wamsutta YOU get Wamsutta, and
not some other article which sharp salesman
I q ~