The Washington critic., 1885-08-04
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 1885.

NAsilN6ION' ~. "
TUESDAY, AUG. 4, 1885.
THERE are evidences on every hand
that we are about to enter upon an
other monumental craze, the largest
sized of any in our history. To begin
with, there is the city of New York,
which having secured for itself, by
gracious consent Of the family, the dis
tinction of furnishing burial place
for the Old Commander, now wants
the rest Of the country to come for
ward and help build a monument to
mark the spot. Besides New York, it
is altogether probable that two-thirds
of the States will each want monu.
ment. Chicago and Philadelphia have
monument funds well under way.
Nearly every large city in the North,
and possibly in the South, will probably
develop an ambition in the same direc-
tlon. AT rough guess it will take not
less than three million dollars TO build
the memorials already contemplated,
and this is sum not readily got to-
gether by popular subscription, even
upon the spur OF such an intensely SYM
pathetic impulse as stirs the heart of
the Union to-day. 1t may not accord
with the temper OF the public mind just
at the present time to call halt TO
this excess Of zeal, but IL may be sug-
gested without ofIensc that we go slow.
There Is certainly no occasion for haste
in subscribing to the New York monu-
ment. We are hardly through yet pay
ing for the pedestal TO the Bartholdi
statue. 1t were better to wait at least
until The funeral Is over before en-
barking upon any visionary scheme
for the glortication OF River
side Park and its adjacent property
holders. When once the funeral cere-
monies are over the county can take
its bearings as it were, and see how ii
stands on the monument business
what there is to be done, how many
statues there are to build, how much
they will all cost, where the money il
TO come from, and, in case Illinois, Ohio
and other States contribute to the New
York fund, how much New York will
contribute in return for the various
State funds to be raised. This Is the
plain, businCss.like way OF looking al
the matter and the way it will have t,
be looked at sooner or later, diveste(
Of the pathetic and sentimental CLOS
with which 1t is now invested This i
the matteiof fact way in which Genera
Grant, of all other men in the country
would have had the subject treated. The
idea of calling upon the people at larg,
to build structure in New York, o.
which even the expense has never beer
estimated nor Il design considered, Il
particularly preposterous and should bt
laid upon the table until the whole
question can be seriously, sensibly anC
systematically acted upon.
WHO is to be District Marshal? Wht
Register of wills? Who Recorder o
Deeds? All these questions seem to bt
as far from answer as they were five
months ago, and we cannot blame on
District friends for feeling as il the,
had been unnecessarily overlooked. o
course, it is not q matter OF life ant
death whether these appointments AZ,
made at one time or another, but to tin
people here they are quite as importan
as the appointment of postmasters, col
lectors, appraisers, receivers of publ
monies, and the like, is to people else
where, and quite as essential to TIN
interests Of the public service. Their
is no more reason why District official
should hold over than officials out OF tn
District, and it is not the Democrac,
alone, but the people of Washington n
large and irrespective of politics, win
feel that 1t would have been better 70
the President to have disposed of TIN
District offices early in the season.
had been no more OF a bother or EN-
barrassment then than it will be now
and the public, which is bound to flint
more or less fault, whatever appoint
ments are made, would by this tim
have been happily reconciled to TN
change.
A CHINESE laundry in New Yor
has been closed by the Sheriff becaus
of debts owed by Its proprietor. Thi
is the first case of the kind hat ha
ever occurred In that ell Y. And Ney
York Chinaman has eloped to st
Louis with pretty white girl, Leaving
hahin6 an alnnn1 avoJ yyifa on1 ti,,