The Portland daily press., 1885-06-20
Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

IHc IUiiOMlS duuItSS has Deen issued Dy
the Soldiers and Sailors Monument Associa-
ton:
At the last annual meeting of the Soldiers and
Sailors Monument Association of Portland
vote was passed instructing the Executive Com
mittee OF the Association to take the necessary
by the old City Hail. upon which E to erect sptHe the
monument to the soldiers and sailors who died
during the war Of the Rebellion. In obedience to
these instructions the Executive Committee Of
the Association, after careful consideration of
the matter, voted unanimously to make applica-
tiOn to the City Government for the cessiOn, mn
der suitable restrictions, of the site In question
aud such application was made in the early part
Of this ysaF ,o The City G4yernnent then about to
elected.
Mayor, referred in his inaugural address to the
application of the Association and recommended
that the site should be granted Shortly after, the
application of the Association was formally pre-
sented to the new City Government, and a hear
ing was ordered at which the purpose and wishes
OF the Association were presented by its exeeu-
tive. To the surprise and disappontnent Of the
Association, however, there was developed at
this hearing, and subsequently, such an opposition
seems to the Association to indicate that there is
not that substantial unanimity on the question
which they deem necessary and proper In order to
carry out their cherished plans.
The memorial monument which this association
purposes to erect is, or will be, the gift Of the
people OF Portland When completed, IL will be
under the charge and care Of the city authorities
and thus to all ntents and purposes city property
unwilling. however confident thew NAV be b'hhi thsit
large majority OF the voters Of the city are with
them in the matter, to press any action at this
tagonism, and thus even to small extent lessen
the general approval for their work, about which
esy ber ar e u + y and IN sS sSeT fo
dissenting opinion. The Executive Committee of
the Association have therefore voted that they
Will not press their request for the City Hall lot
for the present but will content themselves with
laying before their fellow citizens a brief state
ment of the reasons why, in their opinion the lot
in question is the only suitable one. hoping that
what they say may do something towards lessen
ing the objections and silencng the opposition to
the scheme.
Many years have passed since the events which
TINS prQposed monument Is intended to COM
aa every iIe one sf tb hr,w wnen tweny
of that time, has in certain measure been for
gotten BY those who lived in those bitter days
and who were old enough to. appreciate the real
significance of them, the sef-sacrificing heroism
the uncaculating patriotism OF those young
MmeTcas can nm never d be tSrgotten 70 But It Is only
of to-day and to make some slight calculation as
to their ages, to recognize fully the fact that be-
member personally the events of the war of the
rebellion, or who have more than faint and
fading sentimental interest In them.
1t Is the wish of the Soldiers and Sailors
Monument Association, a body largely composed
of the fast essening band of survivors of the war
that the monument which they propose to erect
shall do something to cause the memories of that
stormy period and OF the men who made it giori.
Gus, by pucking out of the nette Of its danger the
flower Of safety. for the Republic, to be lasting
permanent and daily lessons for all time. For
this purpose they believe that the monument
should be in a conspicuous place, the most CON
spicuous and public place possible, where it will
be ofteneSt seen by men, women and children in
their everyday life, as they go to their business
their pleasure and their schools. in the heart Of
the city, in the busiest and most frequented OF its
thoroughfares, The great historical monuments
in Older countries are in just such places, and
notable examples among many are the Vendome
column and the Bastile column in Paris, the Mel
son monument and the Guards monument In Lon
don, and the monument to Frederick the Great In
Berlin. If this can be brought about and-a noble
and dignifed structure can be erected, massive
and grand in architecture, lofty and spiritual in
its sculpture, great enough in its mass and its
artistic merit TO arrest the attention OF the casual
passer, and with all this, the close and intimate
record of the individuals whose patriotism and
sacrihce il Is to celebrate, there can hardly be
doubt that it would do more than any other thing
to rescue from rapidly approaching forgetfui-
ness the time, the men and the lessons of the war
With these views the Committee, even If they
were not under the strict instructions of the body
which gave them existence, can think of no other
suitable site for the proposed monument than the
spot where the Old City Hall now stands. 1t is
true that upon either OF the two promnades
there are unequalled opportunities for great ar
chitectural works, but unfortunately there is rea
son to believe that sufficient sum of money can
be raised for monument suitable for such com
manding situations for to do justice to such sites
would require five times the sum that this Asso-
citation have any grounds for hoping to raise
There remain-these being outl of the question as
matter Of cost-Deerin7's Oaks, Lincoln Park
and the place which the Association prefers As
to DeeringS Oaks a monument there, would for
many years be seen only by comparatively few
and those not working men, busines, men and
school children, but rather idle and liesurely
lonngers. On Lincoln Park a monument would
not command or provoke attention lit would hardly
be seen by thesordinary passer, and even if II was