The Portland daily press., 1885-06-20

looked for, 1t could only be seen under the great
est disadvantages. In this respect and In this
place such monument would be like the Sol
diers' Monument In Boston, which is .neyer seen
unless by those whOsgO purpOsely to see 1t.
But In Old City Han Square, monumunt would
movement and the1trade Of the town. Almost
every stranger who visits, the city IS naturally
drawn there. and more than half Of the elder
school children go by it day by day.
Neither tnis Committee nor the Association
which they represent think It necessary or proper
70 fefute or even to reply TO the arguments urged
by certain people against the use Of City Hall
Square, for the erection Of monument to our
however, to assert and these points are precisely
what the Association wish to leave to the careful
consideration oftheir fellow citizens ;( That there
isno architectural value whatever TO the old City
Hail. (2) that there are no associations connect
ed with or belonging to 1t or its site worthy Of per-
petnatiOn which cannot better be preserved by
the erection Of a Soldiers Monument upon the
place where II stands, and (3) that the value Of
the property to the city as source Of revenue Is
TOO insignificant to be considered when nothing
IS gwen up but worthless bullding-its site, inn
proved and permanently dignined, beautned, re-
The SoaeT ans Sf Il ns s
tlOn, which now consists Of 5000 members sub
stantiatially all Of them residents Of this city.
have asked Of their fellOw-cltizens, or to speak
more correctly, Of their representatives I'm the
government of the city, the use, and the use for
certain speeihed and proper purposes only of lot
0fland Qfwheh the present income Is small andlOf
which the income can be large. 10 Is the only
assistance toward their msrItOriOus work which
thcy htfS Vt TO ASK Df the ely IN
It's corporate capacity. Other cities towns and
villages have given large Of money for SINH
lar purposes. The city OF Portland has given no
Ithas been asked respectfully for the
use of a lot of land and this not apparently un-
reasonable request has provoked an opposition,
the strength and meaning OF which Il is unneces-
sary and perhaps improper for this committee to
attempt to explain They now leave the matter
IN the hands OF their fell0wcitizens, confident in
the belief, and resting their upon their conf
dence, that no selfish or interested motives the
part OF few will prevent the great body from
doing what Is best and what is right under the
circumstances. The men, women and children
who have contributed the money for this Soldiers
and SailOrSs' monument, the survivors and friends
OF the brave men whose valOr and patriotism II is
intended to commemorate, handing down the
teachings of them in lasting bronze and stone to
coming generations; these believe that the site
they have asked for is not only the best, but TIE
only suitable and proper place But they will net
beg for 1t. II their fellow citizens of Portland do
not agree with them, the question Is settled so far
as this particular site is concerned. But the Sol
dlers' and Sailors Monument Association have no
other site to recommend, and no other satisfacto-
~ site IN view, and therefore ii is Of the graYest
interest to them as perhaps involving the tempo
rary ipOstpOnement of the building of a monu-
the views Of the people of Portland. The assocL
alton do not appeal, they do not ask for any speedy
decision; they ask simply that their request shall
be carefully weighed, so that at the proper time
the views Of the citizens OF Portland, whatever
those views may be, shall be In some way signi-
ned to those who have the honor to be their rep
TeSentatiyes.