The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-22
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
About the Soldiers, Monument.

To the Editor Of the indianapolis Journal:
The soldiers monument has been so ably taken
in hand by your journal, and seems to grow
more in Importance as it arrives at its consum-
nation, may I ask for information concerning it!
VIII there be an open %competition2 Will there
be a limited size for modelsl viii the COM
mittee rule out all models over or under the size
called for! VIII it take the form of a public
building, or will the call be for the best effort of
the s~culptor9 We have in some States so many
efigies and monstrosities erected to our soldiers
that it is enough to make loyal hearts weep. 1t
is time we made a change.
Senator Harrison's few pithy words at the I'M
yelling Of the Morton monument struck the key
rote which should lead to a work superior to
what has been done in that direction in other
places. 1t has also been said that our State has
only one public monument. Well, this has
been a blessing, for we have not com
mltted any crime in art as yet. Well
1t Is that Indiana has been slow.
She has the opportunity to erect a fitting tFib-
ute to the loyal that stood for Union; laid down
their lives and accomplished it! But the monu-
ment symbolizes a victory for Righteousness and
justice. Let it be d~ignifed, not a mere bronze
bravado! The Union soldier is a subject for all
time IN our land, and he has never yet received
a proper tribute from art in sculpture. ART is
long-it is better it should be so, for a work of
public character it gives time for contemplation,
serious study and earnest effort. Let the peo-
pie, who are the builders of this monument,
which is to be a constant reminder to their chill
dren and all who come after us Of right over
might Let the sentiment of all loyal hearts
judge what it should be-. We do not want the
production of a granite company OF a foundry,
but the work of the best sculptor we can get
after a fair competition; the one whose ideal
comes nearest the ideal of the people. Nowis the
time to make n departure from the ordinary
Faith, Hope and Charity efigies of the average
country chureh-yard. Above all, let us leave
far behind the impossible soldier who looks as if
he were suffering from a Chiekahominy
fever and did not care whether he held his piece
according to the tactics, Or even whether his
clothes fit him. A work such as we are consid-
ering calls for noble effort. viii there be an
open chance for a young sculptor who has taken
up his home here2 Will the committee publish
and call for models and drawings of a certain
scale! A taiP field and no partially is all that
any sculptor of spirit need ask. And the monu-
ment will be to him who gazes upon it a medium
of sympathy, feeling and patriotism for brave
men who laid down their lives to hold our Union
in one. No mere work of size will answer if it
is not a work of art! No amount of government
cannon will make a bad thing good! Let us
have the best of our native-born ~sculptors who
are in sympathy with the subject, and if there
is no home talent get it outside until our
sculptors learn something. j. y. p.
INDIANAPOLIS March 20.