The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-06-24
cRITicIsINc THE GODDESS.
Various Comments About tho Mon
umen,-Mr. Routelle's Opinion
Tho outlandish Nose.

As the people of Portland get more ac-
quainted with the new monumet, their adml-
ration for 1t increases rather than diminish
es. 1t Is the general agreement that 1t is ad-
mirable. But there are some criticisms
heard on minor points. Were there not 1t
would be sign that the people Of Portland
were too far above human peculiarlties to
remain within reach Of the tax collectors
much longer. One gentleman complains be-
cause the bronze goddess has so many aliases
He says she is called Victory" "Peace,"
Minerva" Goddess of Liberty" etc q,
whereas, in reality, her name Is Columbia.
ReiOiciDg-over-a. Restored Union" 1t Is un-
derstood that this name has the approval Of
the executive committee, who arranged for
the appearance Of Miss Columbia Rejoicing
oveI-a Restored Union In Portland, and hence
ought to know her right name. Another
man. whose Americanism Is pronounced
enough to get him into politics, Is greatly
incensed because the sculptor has giS en-
Columbia Rejoicing overs Restored Union
an "outlandish nose" that being the forcible
way In which he describes what he calls the
Roman" nose OF the goddess. Opinions
may differ as to whether the nose has Ro
man or Greclan cast; but the gentleman
referred 70 Is OF the opinion that 1t is an out
landish, and hence an unsuitable and unpa-
triotic feature. This opens up the broad ques-
tlon Of the shape Of the american" nose.
The raised letters on the front of the ped
estal have come In for quite general critl-
cism. One man says the "W" in that in
scription Is unlike any other w ever written,
and he knows because he has looked over all
the alphabets he could find in the dIctiona-
riss and other standard works. On the 9TH
er hand, 1t seems that the architect, Richard
M. Hunt designed the inscription, aud Mr..
the design faithfully.
Then there Is the old criticism that Is go
Ing around and credited to an ex-aderman,
that 1t is In bad form for the goddess on a
soldiers monument to have her back turned
on the United States.
1t was reported that the face of the cayal-
ry officer In the army group had been mod
eiled alter the features of a we'll known vet
eran on the executive committee, and many
thought this improper. 1t turns out that the
features ci the cavalry officer were moulded
after the model furnished by the features OF
an American physician In Italy.
flnally, from Bangor, comes a criticism
OF the naval group that bears with IL the
force OF high professional attainment. The
bangor WING, which undoubtedly uses the
words of Hon. Charles A. BOutelle, distln-
guished naval officer of the war, says the
sailor with the coil Of rope In the naval bas-
relief Is sort of fresh water mariner, not
suited to his surroundings. Says Mr.. Bou-
telle:
Mr.. Simmons has produced so many notable
works OF art. including the statues OF Gov. King
and Roger Williams, the Naval Monument at
washington. etc., that we would not venture TO
hastily criticse his artistic conception; but there
Is one figure In the naval group whose attitude
ana accessories do not seem to us quite sugges-
i've ~ 60 Of the bue-iacket in time of war. We refer
10 the hgure OF The sailor who stands holding a
rope coiled or fiaked in one hand. The man-of-
war s-man In war time was fighting character
OF the infantry, artillery or cavalry of the land
ngnfefs A drawn eulass, sponge staff or ram
mer. OF even Doarding-pike, would lmpart a
which reminds one Of the deck-hand Of a steam
boat preparing 10 thr0 " a "heaving line" to some
tioangsnoreman tal on dock, or marine boy get
Tug ready 10 capture his enemy with lariat.
II the piece OF rope had only been shorter
we could imagine in noting the adjacent
to poetically suggest the action OF the Quarter.
master on the Hartford, who passed the turn of
gasket around the old hero as he stood in the
speed in spite OF the torpedoes. However, our
remarks are not Intended to be captOus as our
famous Ia american sculptor has evidently achieved
grouping OF the figures Of the Portland monu-
ment.
Mr.. Boutelle has evidently taken hasty
view. That rope Is typical Of the truest salt,
OF one OF those old sailors, who sang in every
cline the old refrain,
"Od hoss, old hoss, how came you here?"
From Saecarapp' to Portland Pier I've hauled
logs for for many a year
=, till worn out from work ana sore abuse
I'm salted down for sailors use"
Those old salts, who sung this song. al.
ways found in the bottom of every beef bar
rel fOur horse shoes and halter The
ngure on the monument Is a typical old salt.
and the coil OF rope which Mr.. Boutelle mis-
takes for "heavlng line" or a "gasket" Is
really the historic halter from the bottom Of
the beef barrel.