, 1875-03-28
THE DOUGLAS MONUMENT.

tfn8 OF In9 uelSut5 P1A~AAA.7 -
1ature Of this State is disposition OF &ne
Donc1as Monument. Two bills are pending
one authorizes the removal OF the monu-
ment and the remains Of DOUGLAS from the
present site to the grounds OF the University
and the sale Of the present site and the ap-
nlication of ths proceeds to the completion
of the monument The other bill approp11-
ates $50, 900 from the State Treasury TO COM
nlata the monument where it now stands
The latter bill failed q day or two ago
for the want Of sufficient number Of
votes. and we aro credibly informed that
it would have passed, had it not been for the
fact that there we're Democrats in the Le61s-
lature who opposed it deca1se Of DOUGLAS
course in relation to the Cson Warf This, Do
it remembered, is in Illinois, fourteen years
after DouarAs' death, and ten years after the
restoration Of peace! We question whether
there is Legislature at the South where any
measure would have been rejected for Ike
reason. It betrays in nnmistakable terms the
bitterness of the Bourbon Democracy In this
State.
There is, Of course, question Of propr1ety
in the Legislature making anysuch apFropria-
ton +; but it is matter resting exclusively IN
the discretion Of the General Assembly. In
1862, the Legislature appropriated s25' 'ooo to
purchase the present site, where the body
of DOUGLAS was buried This was understood
to have been all that was ever expected OF the
State. The title to that site is the property
! of the State. One Of these bills proposes to
remoye the body and monument to the Uni
yersitv grounds but exactly what proprlety
there is in such removal it IL difficult to see
It might with similar propriety be
removed to the inclosure of any other
denominationa1 church, school, or COL
lege. in The State. This removal also
includes rea1-estate operation Tine =!
acrcs On which the incomplete monument
now stands would bring, if put into the
shape of lots, in round figures, 5o,000,-
perhGns $4,000. The most exHavagant
proposition was for d monument to cost
| S75. 900; but we suppose q suitable and
proper one could be built for S25,ooo or
$50, 900. If the site be sold, it Is natural to
expect the entire proceeds will be consumed
one vay or the other. If the monument Is
| to be moved from its present site, it is posi-
b,e that the Commissioners Of Doug
las Park would assign it place
in that public ground, where disinterested
parties could doubtless erect suitable mon
umont for $50, 600. In that case the State
could sell the present site, recover the
So5, 900 paid ia 1862, and be refunded the
S3o. 900 e1pcnded in the monument, and the
whole proceeding be relieved of even Hus'
picion Of jobbery. If the monument is te
remain where it is, and the State is to furnlsf
the means to complete it, then there shoulo
| be sons provision made for rational, eco
nomic, and. responsible expenditure OF tn
money appropriated for the purpose be
t tween the conflicting interests demand'ng tht
removal, and the application Of the proceeds
Of the sale OF the present site, and the inter
est insisting On the completion Of the monu
rnent on its present site, it is likely that moth
ing will be done.