The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-01

This happened perhaps six or eight years ago.
The other day statue was erected to the mem
DRY of Mr. William E. Dodge, on little strip of
socalled ''city park" which lies between the
wealthy and fashionable region of which Fifth
and Madison avenues are the main arteries, and
the bowling wilderness of comfortable but unos-
tentatious brick and brown-stone dwellings west
of Sixth avenue. The spot selected was pecu-
liarly appropriate one-the border land between
the supposed good and the supposed bad-for it
may be said without undue dsparagement Of the
dead that throughout his long and in some re-
spects useful life, Mr.. Dodge occupied the de-
batable ground between decorous responsibility
and stained glass piety" on the one hand and
unexplained" business transactions on the other.
did not read among the names Of those who
took part in the ceremonies which accompanied
the unwilling of the statue either that of Mr..
Gould or of the gentleman who met him in Mr.
Dodge's parlor. I believe Mr.. Edward S. Stokes
was also absent, although he was near relative
of the defunct merchant thus publicly honored.
as well as the slayer of Mr. Gould's
former partner, Jim Fisk. Mr. Stokes it NAV
be remarked has certainly, not in his career oc-
cupied debatable ground; and this fact may
have debarred him from attendance. The Dodge
family and its connections We're we'll represented
IN the living group gathered around the statue,
as were other portions of the rich Society pha-
lanx Wealth and piety are the qualifications
nee essary for admission into this set" The
piety, so long it be orthodox, is not subject
to sharp scrutiny. 1t is deemed sufficient if the
Sabbath be observed by the DOMINIC of fresh raj
ment and a sober cast of countenance. But the
wealth cannot be mere matter of appearances
1t must be genuine No one in that circle how
ever is likely to Ego behind the returns" in seek
ing the source from which the wealth was de-
rived.
During his life Mr. Dodge made manv and
liberal gifts to pubic and private charities, and
1t is claimed by his friends that his munfcence
entitled him fairly to monument in a public
park. Why. then. was not the money raised by
voluntary offerings from thousands of the moor
people whom he befrended the general pub
lic which is usually supposed to know the men
who are to be honored by public memorials?
And why was the platform not crowded with
worklngmen. aud with the halt, the blind
and the lame-al eager to render worthy trib-
ute to their benefactor? The only
workingmen who appeared were those who make
deals in wheat and corners" in stocks The
statue was erected not much to perpetuate
the memory of dead philanthropist as to pro-
pltlate the surviving members of rich and in
huentlal family. 1t was statue of a rich pri-
vate citizen. put up by few other rich people
who complmented themselves and their little
set by the acrion. If Mr.. Dodge had been a
statesman, public officer, leader or hero or a
benefactor of the grand, heroic type, then he
would have been entitled to recognition of this |
Kind II the people at large chose to bestow it.
AS 1T is, the statue is an imposition. an offense
against the communicable outcome of a svco |
phantlc snobbery as displeasing as MIR. Cyrus |
Fields Andre monument at Tarrytown. which |
was very properly blown up The only fit place
for the statue of prosperous, pious merchant |
like Mr.. Dodge, who holds no place in public |
annals who took good care of himself and his |
family and gave something out of his abundance |
to the poor, is In private house, in some in |
hynh hn have h.,
example set by the breach of good taste COM |
mitted In foisting his effgy upon the public |
forms most unfortunate precedent, which will |
encourage others to cucumber our public places
with images OF departed mediocrity
After the death of Peter Cooper, who deserved |
a public statue if any private citizen did an
attempt was made to raise fund for such me-
mortal. Contribution boxes were distributed in
many places through the city in which people
were to drop their pennies or their 5cent nickles
as they might choose to- This plan was de-
signed to gather the offerings of those humble
folks who, it was thought, would naturally an
preciate the good that Peter Cooper had done to |
his kind. But this sort of Peters pence" did |
not seem to flow in with encouraging rapidity
After while the contribution boxes disappeared |
as silently as they had come and have heard |
nothing more about the monument. By the |
way why are we not informed as TO what was
done with the money put into them? At all |
events. Dir. Coopers family have had self respect
enough to refrain from forcing a statue by their |
own subscriptions and those of their friends.
Speaking of this am reminded of what a pho
tographer of considerable renown lately SAID to
me about the quick forgetfulness of the Ameri
can people for their public men.
After Horace Greeley was defeated for the pres
idency, aud was lying i'll. said he, II unable
to supply the demand for pictures of him. had
nine negatives printing as fast we could print,
and yet we couldn't produce enough photographs
to satisfy our customers. The very day it be-
came known that Greeley had died the demand
ceased. Not one call for the picture did we have
after that ] said to my assistants: Put away
the negatives And they have remained IN
disturbed ever since. That's the way things go |
in America. Great man very Ill; great man dy
ing; tremendous excitement! Then-he is gone, !