Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-12
TIE WASHINGTON MONUMENT.
Crawford Thinks IL One OF the Worlds
Most Impressive Objects.

Marion Crawford writes of Washing
ton City as a Spectacle In the August
Century. and a. Castainge draws some
Characteristic pictures to accompany the
article. As to the much-discussed Wash
ington monument. Dir. Crawford says:
A famous living sculptor OF ours has
given us his opinion in condemnation OF
the Washington monument. IL IL some
times called the Obelisk for the COMPARE
lively simply reason that ii is one just
IA they called him Peter. people said.
because II was hts name" With all due
respect 10 the sculptors right Of Judg-
ment. which IL unquestioned, We may
differ with him, and yet not brand our
selves barbirians. TO the present WRITER
II seems not too much 10 say thdt III
certain light the Obeisk IL the most I'M
posing simple object Of great uiiuehs'ons
in the whole world. Doubtless when @een'
as If always can be seen by day. from
distance OF two or three miles and from
different parts of the city, cut of by
line of modern roofs across pale SKY.
there is nothing remarkable or beautllui
about H. IL IA then but the top OF an obe-
llsk. ana nothing more: slender. straight
line OF stone visible in an uninterestlns
atmosphere. Even then 1t can hardly be
said to be offensive, for IT is- TOO simple
10 offend.
Go to II at evening. when the sunset
lights have faded and the fun moon Is
rising. 1t IS impossible not to sce It's
beauty then. For soma reason not I'm
rnodiately apparent, the white light ~
not reflected from the lower half of IL
when the moon Is not far above the no.
rizon. The lines are all there. but the
shaft IS only a soft shadow below.
gradually growing clearer as II rises, ana
ending In a blaze Of silver against the
dark sky The enormous proportions are
touched then with a profound mystery I;
the solidlty of the symbol disappears. the
greatness Of the thought remains, the IN
ending yastness Of the idea is oveIwhelm-
ing. Block upon block. line by line, II
was built up with granite from many
States union OF many into one simple
whole, a true symbol of what We Ameri-
cans are trying to make OF ourselves,
Of our country. and OF our beliefs. There
Is the solid foundation. proved and tried,
which we know OF and trust in. There
il the dark and shadOwy present through
which the grand, straight lines are ielt
rather than seen. Ana there. high IN the
still air. points the cleaning future. per
feet at all points. bright at all points
lofty as all but Heaven itself. There is
the symbol We may ask ourselves
whether we are to overtake the shadows
aud reach the light, We or our children,
or our childrens children: or whether the
half-darkness will creep up with US al
ways, and with them. for ages to come,
and even TO the end.
The Obelisk is beautiful, not only by
moonlight. as any one may see who VIII
take the trouble to look AT it with eyes
human rather than cri,ical-at evening,
&, fb.. of the
Capitol. when all the world Il sinking
towards It's mighty plunge into darkness
through the foam Of the cloud breakers
and the purple wash Of nights rising
tide. or at early morning, when the dark
ness sinks back. and the first blush or
day warns the pinnacle OF the lonely
shaft-as though it had stabbed night IN
the sky and drawn the sweet blood OF
daylight upon its point. Most notably
IS 1t beautiful at such times when seen
with the whole city frun. the great mill
tary cemetery on the heights OF Airing
ton. than which few points in the world
command a more lovely view.
There in the quiet earth the solemn dead
lie side by side. the many who fought
for us when We We're but their children,
and who. for ours. Will fight thor i'm
mortal battles again I'm the clouds Ike
the warriors OF old. MANY OF us have
heroes Of our own name and race lying
there i'm the broad tree-hemmed meadows,
and among the flowers. and in that chosen
rank where the great generals liz, as they
fought in the forefront Of the enemy,
facing now not enemies, but friends; the
deep. sweet valley with the quiet river
al their feet. And far away. beside the
airy dome Of the Capitol the single shaft
rises sunward. and tells in shadow-timo
for us, the living. the hours of the dead
mems endless day.