Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-23
THE PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES
Desire to Keep Burning the Light i'm
Liberty's Statue.

The committee of the patriotic societies
Sons of the Revolution. Order of Cincinnati
&c, is taking active steps to secure control
OF Bedloe's Island, New York harbor. TO-
gether with the BarthoIdi statue of Liberty
Tor the avowed purpose of assuming all ex-
pense connected with the maintenance Of
the electric light in the torch of that statue
The island is the property of the govern
ment, and is under the joint Jurisdiction %,
Inc a,e W ar ana treasury Departments. 1t was
orlglnahy entirely under the jurisdiction OF
the war department. Soon after the cree
uon OF the statue however, jurisdiction oi
portion of the island was transferred Il
. .;te lreasury department for the execu-
tior OF the provisions of an act of Congress
appropriating $4,000 for the maintenance OF
an electric light beacon in the bronze torch
ned abort by the figure of Liberty, to carry
out the beautiful sentiment of Liberty on.
Tightening the world"
Inc light was also intended as an aid
10 navigation and its maintenance was
entrusted TO the light house board. This
va. Vas several Years ago and the appropria-
tion mad been regularly made each sue
ceedlng year and credited to the general
iuhd Tor hight house purposes and other
aids to navigation.
"A snort time ago the light house board
reported to the Secretary of the Treas
ufy mat the Liberty light was not al all
essential TO the proper navigation of New
York harbor and that there was no neces-
81 us LUZ lHtT use In that cOnnpc-
.loh- for this reason the board said IT
was UNFAIR to charge the expense of its
maintenance against the general fund for
the neht house establishment proper, espe-
ciaiiy when the $4,000 annually appro-
priated for the light could be much more
adNantageously employed in the estab-
iishment of lights that are urgently needed
IA the true interests of navigation. The
uoa'u wanted IT understood that it did
not object TO the light, but as IL was not
an ald to navigation the board did object
10 having the expense of its mainte-
nance taken out of the appropriation for
lisnts wheh that appropriation is barely
s.iiiclent TO meet the actual necessities
OF the service
10 keep the Light Burning.
The Secretary of the Treasury fully in
dorsed the position taken by the board and
mas suggested to the House appropriations
committee that no provision be made for
the continuance of the light after the first
OF July next. This action on his mart has
stirred up considerable opposition. especial
~ among the patriotic societies, and they
have started a movement to insure the
continuance of the light for all time. They
are Wiling to assume all expenses connect
ed with the care and maintenance of the
statue. provided the government will give
them jurisdiction over the island The con-
dition is a most important one and is not
at all likely to meet with the favor of the
representatives. OF the government. The is
highly profitable investment for ANYBODY
who could secure control over IL, as il con-
stitutes one of the pleasantest resorts any,
where i'm the vicinity of the metropolis
Although the patriotic societies NAV meet
with considerable trouble i'm obtaining a fee
simple to Bedloe's Island, il will probably
not be SO difficult TO obtain permission to
care for and maintain the statue. The Sec
rotary of the Treasury has anticipated the
action of Congress in disseminating the
light after the first of July next and has
asked the Secretary of War to relieve the
Treasury Department Of further RESPONSE
bility in the matter. He desires to relin-
quish all jurisdiction over the island or any
portion thereof and requests that the island
be restored to the War Department. There
will be no difficulty in making this transfer.
provided the Secretary of War is willing.
of which there is no doubt, but IL will take
an act of Congress and nothing less TO
transfer the island and improvements to the
control of private individuals, even though
they be banded together for purely patriotic
purposes and desire to get possession of
the island merely to keep the light shining
in the torch of Liberty.