New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-30

when Par1S was n centrc VI oiA'e -.
the whole world, made profound in,pio'''on
upon NJ. Cl6menceau's auditors, anu tiiefe wac
tumultuous applause when he excialineu '.a'
he was proud of nation which Win al '
faults still merited the great American euio.
pium. In the glow of patriotic sentiment
which tbe orators words had klndled tho
IDENTITIES found it impossible to sanction war
l;ka nrenaratious against nation OF PACING
laborers. The abstract idea that peace on 'iie
Nile and everywhere was tho only d'p'onna.''
nolicv which the enlightened Judgment OF oc,
mocracy could sanction, took possession y,
their minds. 1t was one OF those grahu
thoughts which invariably sway the french III
te,I;oence with an irresistible fascination.
Now tbe colossal Statue of Liberty EnllgIt-
enino the World was another OF these inspiring
conceptions. The phrase itself was speii u
coniure with in France, and the Impressive
proportions of the project touched the I'D,
aginatiye genius OF the Gallo race. Inc gil'
of one republic to another could only be SYM
bolized by the figure of Liberty, and since the
giver and the recipient were among the ere"'-
est industrial States in Christendom, the STATUE
must be one of the wonders OF the mouein
world. That colossal figure rising In new
York harbor would not only commemorate Che
generous aid which q struggling people re-
ceiyed from a sympathetic nation, but wouiu
also attest the dignity of democratic lhs.itu-
lions the prosperity of industrial States ard the
pacific destiny of republics. mat nahllus
torch upraised before the threshold OF the Ne"
World would symbolic FOR all time the enllght-
eminent of liberty in peace-loving ana law
abiding States 1t was grand Thought when
cantivated the French mind. The magnitude
of tbe enterprise invested it with additional
charms. The ardor of the projectors was not
chilled by public Indifference. The scheme
was a nopular one from the outset, and with
snbscriptions from every quarter OF france the
statue is now rapidly approaching complexion
"A splendid memorial of an historical alliance
franrht with momentOus sequences-a
magnificent token of the genius and generosity
of great nation.
Meanwhile the nation to which this unique
statue is to be presented has regardeo INC en-
terprise with languid Indifference. Its i'm
acinaton has not been fired with sympathetic
feeling 1t has made no preparations lor re-
ceiying this colossal beacon, has done noth-
ing to provide pedestal worthy OF the statue
has listened with apathy to the feeble APP
peals made at long intervals for financial aid,
has dismissed the scheme as vagaiy OF
French sculptor, and has evinced only the
faintest appreciation of the grandeSt gltt ever
offered by one free people to another. Inc
mass meeting on Tuesday evening is almost
the first indication of popular interest in an IN
ternatioDal episode which in the beginning
ought to have aroused fine feeling of genuine
patriotism. We have no reason to doubt that
Americans generally, and our own citizens
especially, will make generous response 10
the appeal which has been so eloqucntly pre-
sented by Mr.. Evarts, DR.. Storrs and the re-
naming speakers at the Academy. The statue
will be too precious an ornament to the harbor
to be allowed to go begging for pedestal.
Even if patriotic considerations are of no ac-
count, municipal pride will eventually provide
the means of establishing and lighting this
MAGNIFICENT beacon in our harbOr. The statue
will in the end, as Mr. Choate remarked, be
given leg to stand Oh. But meanwhile
Americans will find it necessary to apologize
for an apathy and lack of appreciation strangely
at variance with the generous impulses and
infections enthusiasm of the French cOntrlbu-
tors. They will have to confess that great
ideas have colder welcome here than they
have in France.