New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-11
THE GRANT MONUMENTFUND
PROTESTS AGAINST THE SECRETARY'S
SALARY
,.RGE CONTRIBUTORS SAY THAT THE MONEY
SHOULD BE USED ONLY FOR THE OBJECT
FOR WHICH 1T WAS GIvEN-ACT1oN
TO BE TAKEN BY THE EX-

TO BE TAKEN BY THE Ex-
EcUTIvE COMMITTEE.
The controversy which has been going for some
.ms among the trustees of the Grant Monument As
soaon relative 10 the salary Of the secretary of the
sssocstion Richard T. Greener has been recently re-
rived and has grown intense since the last meet
,ng of the executive committee. which was held on
August g. For a number Of years the Office OF secre-
,-v has been a salaried one and the amount agreed
,pou to be paid the secretary 200 year This
suu was thought to be sufficient compensation for the
cork which the secretary would be called upon to DO
There were, however many strong protests against
having any salary whatever from persons who would
y. likely 10 contribute the largest individual sums to
the fund
The monument fund has been made up. for the most
ro-t Of small sums. coming from hundreds of patri-
ic people from all parts Of the country. ana the con
.,nntions have been conspicuous for the absence OF
large amounts Of money II was believed oy those
who were the pioneers in the enterprise that the ers
% the cause they espoused would be setevdent ana
hs. there would be no difficulty in raising the amount
necessary 10 erect a fitting monument TO the dead nero
put as every one knows the fund has been Dragging
,lonr al slow and discourag ing pace for over I'VE
,.ars The association. through its executive com
rittee has made from time to time strong appeals 10
the patotism Of the country but IRIS eror's were oO
suvarted With the generosity for which the American
oaonle have been noted. Different reasons were gwen
his
Lii Int the one which seems % affect the largest
- ~ neople and which has had the greatest
&C. Is the one growing out of the fact that the sec
aayvs salary is paid entirely out OF funds contributed
Cor the erection of the monument
~ w. ago the society Of the Cincinnati collected
$4,000 for a National Washington monument. IRIS
srn has grown by simple accreton until II now
or,ts N ton times the original sum Those VINO
bas charge Of this fund never Used one penny OF H.
hui mt if ALI where would draw the largest interest,"
The precedent established by the trustees OF ths 1uno
bas been urged as a guide to the management OF the
Grant Monument Fund. and has been nequenuy useu
a. an argument against the using OF any P"FV VI o
rouumeut fund for salaries Of the trustees
short time ago when the Executive COMMITTEES
a. IN. Monument Association had accepted plans ana
The design for the monument. and was about 10 give
ont contracts. the secretary announced uhaU ,leI0
1ropId he large increase Of work deVoVlng upon A'
a,S asked for an Increase Of 800 month IN lis
- This vas granted but it aroused so strong an
oDDoaton that the increase discontinued shortly
a4erward Mr. Greener dissatisfied and Is charged
with enpoyng fine politics in his Subsequent eIoIO'
A. 80 the increase restored At the meeting OF the
Tv.cu+sve Committee on August 3 the resnlr OF MS
auae.d . fine work" manifested. The committees
80 +ba restoration Of the increase and adjourned
General Charles H. 7. Coils, chairman Of ths
xor+ive Committee: the treasurer. Horace L. Hotch"
t and several other members of the committee Were
rot able 10 be present snd they reel tnao ue e"l'
question was ralroeded through
When General Coils seen yesterday ne Saio
is unfortunate that there should be any controversy
80 ,be tomb Of General Grant, vet l suppose the
rDnuc are entitled TO know how the money Is spent
and personally it would be great satisfaction 10 e
~ the reuressntaives of the press were adntteo 10 @
orr ueernrs IN regard TO the salary Of the secretary
tn rubcation of the fact that that officer was draw
he = sala-v Of 600 a month has naturally aroused
ZOO. S.al q, indignation. We all more or less 70
blam. for il excepting Horace L. Hotchhss' our
treasurer. He has always persisoenty opposeu tno
payment of a salary TO any officer or trustee. iii'
skirts are clear at all events year ago rel. as
NJ, Ho,cskss did but yielded 70 the pressure 70 con-
Tim. /. nav +he Increased salary upon the assurance
thar the secretary would make effort 70 increase
the fund BY at least great an amount as ne are" o
He mas done nothing of the kind, however and every
penny pad hin f. actual loss 10 the fund Inc eecro-
tary performs no duty except keeping minute OF ns
montnTv meetings Of The Executive Committee since
hs reepsctiou IN February last have held i've com
rrttee meetings. and for his attendance upon these
occasions ne has drawn from the fund Sl,OoO.
Soma members of the Executive Committee, out OF
svmpa,hy FOR Nj. Gpoener, not disposed TO dis
cont,nue the salary but some Others OF us are OF the
ppdon that since this is not our money its expenditure
might not 20 be Influenced by sympathies- We
ara +rnsts.s Of sacred fund and have right to
pect that vii be increased by voluntary contribution
Il we waste Il salaries paid 70 our own members
Thero ere hundreds ef gentlemen Of the Loyal Legion
citizens, who would gladly take the books and papers
OF the association their own Offices and art
secretary without cOmpen SaOn whatever, and be
proud TO do I have no doubt about the result
when the subject comes up before full committee
the action at the last meeting restoring the salary
taken in the absence Of four gentlemen Who if
present, would have given unanswerable reasons for
discontinuing il. YOu may rest assured that er
Hotchss will never while he is treasurer pay another
dollar in the way of compensation 70 any member Of
In Board OF Trustees. His hands are now strength
ered bv the OF three Of his colleagues and
heve the other members Of the committee will come
10 our way Of thinking, when the subject is considered
= We have now incurred heavy responsibilities. We
have begun work ard have made contracts. and we
must husband all resources anc satisfy the public
fhat we are not guilty of waste extravaganza or
else we viii get bun few contributions 20 the fund The
Opposition to the salary has been intense much 50
that money which had been subscribed was withheld
when IL learned that part Of the tund was used
paw the salary Of one Of our members. There was
S. 600 raj ed day on the floor Of the stock EX
change. II was by subscription. some one tod about
the salary, and the subscription paper was Immediately
torn into bits and scattered over the moor Tie as
sOciatOn lost that amount, which would have been one
OF the largest contributions. Many letters from al
have been received. protesting against
such a use Of the monument fund. The Grand Army
men opposed 10 II almost To man.
Mr. HOtchkiss. the treasurer, said :" can find mucf
70 commend IN Mr. Greener anf esteem MIN hlghly
II is net at all a personal matter with me. II Is
matter of principle purely. do not think II Is night
70 any part Of The fund for any purpose except fO
that for which IL contributed. am in a position
this matter. and great deal Of money is kept from
the fund BY people who would gladly give il if they
assured IL would whore IL was intended Only
this morning one Of the commanders of the Grand Army
called nv Office and protested strongly against the
Of the fund for salaries. He said that the Grand
Army felt bitterly opposed 10 it. and ttle could be