The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-05
MONUMENTS ON THE CIRCLE.
A Plea in Behalf of the Soldiers Memorial,
and aSuggestion as to Additional Statues.

To the Editor OF the Indianapolis Journal:
Is not this agitation about additional
monuments on Circle Park calculated, ut
this time, to embarrass the commission? AS
I understand it. they have adopted a de-
sign fer a monument in honor of what they
term the aggregate valor of indiana"
We are told that no man NAME, no mans
picture or statue Will be put upon 1t. 1t
will be a composite ideal memorial to
every loyal Indiana soldier. l like that.
1t both appeals to and expresses ny Amer
icanism. The details of persons and events
can be left to the historians. In the monu-
ment We have presented the grand princi-
pie, involving and expressing all. Stand
ing around it, and viewing 1T in this score.
we come nearer together. are more ON an
equality, and perfOrce. become better cit
liens.
have Just seen tho annual report of the
monument committee to the Grand Army
of the Republic. from which 1t appears that
o doubt exists as TO the APPROPRIATION being
sufficient to complete the monument prop
erly, and that competition for the elevator,
army a~stragal and side groups are now
being held to determine tins. 1t may be
that n small additional appropriation will
be necessary, unless the commissioners de-
eide to choapcn the character of the art
NOlh. uiu thic. I y GU tiOg a lob ulo-
posed to do. Then there are the rounds.
/ nave seen no provision yet for improving
them. This will require much filling of
earth. the making of walks of some sort,
and there ought to he bits of green with
fountains to relieve the mOnotony, other
wise tho effect will bo too somber. All this
will cost money, for which no provision
has been made as far as | know.
1t appears. therefore. that the commits
sioners have no money with which to bnIld
gnhnrIlnnfa mnnnmPnta ma mpmOrlnls fO
the different heroic periods of the State.
/ saw hat one of the commissioners stated
in m interview that 1t was the desire OF
the board to do this. but they found it
would not do to attempt such a gigantic
work all at once, for TO do so might result
in failure. Because of this. we are told,
they resolved to combine all the periods.
all the wars and all the soldiers into ono
to provide those to- persons and to
particular periods. In adopting this
course they were wise, and it insures us
one great monument. To divert any part
of the money now at their 10 MI
nor monuments would necessarily reduce,
and impair. and cheaper the main struct-
ure. and spoil all. Against this l protest.
1t would DO a calamity TO the State. If the
next Legislature Is willing to furnish the
money for such outside we'll
and good; but if the expense OF their ereo-
rion is TO come out of money that is needed
to make the central monument complete.
il ought not TO lie done. One thing we'll
done Is worth more than many things made
in an inferior way.
The proposition to put up a single statue
of an individual to commemorate a great
period of our history Is narrow and stingy.
A memorial by a State ought not to be
built in a mean way that would indicate
public poverty. II those periods are worth
commenOrating at all, it should DE done
on "A broad scale. 80 as to lncludo the peo-
pie who participated in them. for. surely.
one man did not do 1t all. This wOuld he
come the dignity of a great State. and. IN
less we can do 1t SO. it were better to wait
awhile.
/ see by the design that the Mexican and
civil wars are commemorated by date-lines
in the upper nstraaal. That is the only
reference TO these periods that | can dis
cover anywhere upon the monument. Now.
the capture of Nincennes and the battle of
Tlppocanoe can DO COMMUNICATED in the
same way by inscriptions upon the tablets
above the entrances. suggest TO the com
il has been their intention from the start.
To be cure. they were not great events in
themselves. but they were the culIaination
of movements which resulted in Wrestling
the country from the British, and Indians
and converting il intoa Stale al The Union,
and SO deserve this recognition. Such in
scriptions would be certainly satisfactory,
and better. because broader. than personal
| monuments. Andyet | presume that if any