The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-01-30
A TRANSPARENT PROPOSITION.

II is announced that the Senate Committee
on Public buildings and Grounds has agreed
to bill appropriating $4,000 to erect a
statue to Columbus in 1892. This is all very
well, perhaps, but the sting of the insect is
in its tail. The bin provides further, that
the statue shall be erected at the foot of
Capitol Hill, in Washington, where the
Peace Monument now stands the latter to
be removed and placed somewhere else"
In other words, the bill covers a scheme to
put out Of sight an eyesore to the ex-rebels,
who, for the past Is years, have managed to
have pre4s Ic.ss their own way in Wash
ington.
The Peace Monument is magnificent
memorial erected by Congress in perpetual
recognition of the services of the soldiers
and sailors of the Union who gave their lives
to rescue the Nation from the clutches of
these very gentry and their pals. No sooner
was the "Confederacy" once more in the
saddle at Washington than a movement
was inaugurated looking to its removal.
The first attack was direct. The ar
tistic excellence of the work was assailed,
and this having failed, loud clamor was
raised about pretended interference by the
structure with the view down Pennsylvania
avenue. The country reyolted, however, as
this was before the " Blue and Gray" fad
came in, aud the scheme was showed under
by storm of indignant popular protest.
The Southerners ostensibly abandoned the
project, but in reality they were waiting for
u more convenient season" 1t appears to
them to have come with the quadri-centen-
NAL ebullition over Columbus
1t is understood perfectly that should the
Peace Monument ever be taken down, il
would never be erected again in all human
probability. No act of Congress could be
framed that would defeat the procrastina-
ton and cut the red tape that would be
brought into acquisition to while away the
time till the matter was forgotten.
That there is any scarcity of vacant real
estate i'll Washington which necessi;ates the
taking away of one statue to make room for
another will probable not be maintained,
and yet no other argument in favor of the
exchange can be advanced that we think Of
The old hue and cry about obstruction to
the view down the Avenue would apply to
one monument as we'll as another. Indeed,
there is no reason ut all other than the one
mentioned in the beginning. 1t is an inn
perishabe record of the defeat of rebellion,
and the triumph of freedom. All the sur
vivors of that band of traitors who Matched
the rebellion are ofiice-holders Mt the Ma
tional Capital, and they consider the monu-
ment offensive. They cry, Away with it."
On the other hand, no one has heard of
scheme for the removal of the Confederate
soldiers monument at Savannah and Rich
mond, but quite the contrary. Enthusiastic
efforts are being made to erect more of them,
and the chief of all to JEFF Davis.
If we are to carry this mawkish loye-feast
further let US go to the legitimate end of it,
and dsmantle the statues of Thomas, Nc
Pherson, Rawlins and Garfield that now
adoFn Washington. Let us check the move
ment on the part of the Union volunteers to
to erect a bronze equestrian statue to Logan,
and devote the money already subscribed to
the expense of demolishing and carting away
the 10000 stones that mark the graves at
Arlington.
In fact, let us see how much nonsense the
men who followed Grant from Donelson TO
Appomattox will stand.
Read carefully the great bargain
offer TO subscribers and club raisers an
fdja ioe,to TIbe of1aa. 40 oljfeI