New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-13
MOTTO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY
rsE HEINE MONUMENT OFFER WITH
DRAWN.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMITTEE IN
WHICH EXCEPTION is TAKEN TO MR.. sTURGIss
CRITICISMS OF THE HERTER FOUNTAIN.
The Heine Monument Committee yesterday. in
,.,.er 70 the Park Commissioners. withdrew its offer
"a present TO the city OF New-York the Hene Monu-
rental Fountain. bv Professor Herter. the WELL
rroxn German sculptor The committees letter to
che Park Board which fully explains its position in
the matter. is as follows:
we beg leave to inform you that after mature de-
rhsration we have reached the conclusion that the
ranresent imperativeiy demands the withdrawal OF
nur offer to present 10 the City of NewYork as a
w, Professor Herter's monumental fountain. In
rus withdraw our wemesnt and certainly not
,n hrieay the motives and considerations which
tmpeed US purchase the fountain.
lie begin WITH we know that New-York has not a
single monumental fountain. good or bad in any
one Of her public parks, and We also know that In
snnsre and all other similar places. plain basins
NJ the simplest and in some instances OF the crudest
and most primitive construction occupy the sites
which In other cities usually devoted TO monu-
mental fountains of the nature and character Of the
our desire to contribute toward the embellishments
Of he city We love would in Itself nave peen sum
Glen; induce us 20 purchase the FOUNTAIN ana give
:. = our fellow-citizens but there were other mo,
lives and considerations which prompted us and
~nio NV Of Justice ana freedom The Heine Foun-
tain y2s Tf 5 artistic euees as Mir stuTgis reck
isssv Gains the face Of incontroveru0le proof 10
ccnvvrneinorates was implacabe enemy of tyranny
an as Matthew Arnold styles him, briiIa an
80 hat although as a lyric poet he ranks next TO
Goethe. and in the literature OF the WIZ "a
Tartne Byron and Hugo , ms ron1 IN Ger
~ "te American writer Dekay, he was a captain
IN The battle America has been hghtihg lor more
'H Snoxing that Nex-York had no monumental foun-
ans W. intended to give proof Of our love for the
az. which we live by presenting to her citizens
ne Hene Monument and at the same time 10 pay
s-rsra not only 70 a literary star OF the hrs mag
,.-,S and brightness. but also 10 champion OF
.~,v whom prejudices of caste. creed and race
,,, scceptins the fountain We caused it to be
.a,slncl by recognized art critics. who ASSURED us
l.H' - he hest scu.ptors OF Germany. Together
Win hese EXPERT opinions ana pnotogrSRns ~
- about fifty Of Professor Herter's scriptures;
his Alexander the Great both IN the p NassoNa az
Gallery al Berlin; his statues on L1ns Brds ga. al
P~ts5am his colossal statues at the rechnicai tgn
Schoo at Berlin his famous moqe. OF t Fderck
wedding gift presented 10 SroMu M 2ar,n ana
- o,hers equally celebrated all testifyins 10 the
eminent skill Of Professor Herter ana MS s'a"Ds
IN !S 5s he E5,iona Sculpture Society recommended
the rejection OF our FIJI pa rom an artistic
n5jT, os view We offered submit the half-sizss
model Of the fountain upon whlG San our this
offer did not appear TO be acceptao ~ Fine Arts
Fderation whose president Mr. sturgis vas vas p po
.nt al your last meeting. AFTER we Id1 lear -
~sng,nen- with Mr Sturgs. and asked him Tne,her
he would himself select committee on amer ,.a r
or foreign artists and art critics OF pts
,.ho,o N rht be ntrusted the task OF examining
he bslf-size model OF Professor Herter L1oIeiy ~
Fountain for the purpose OF giVi rgfS thap n GER
.a{nIv might Sc .ect such a committee put Una! ne
y,ould moi abide by their judgment, nor wouid ne
S sssD sr ns aud critics O6nSn
based upon the photographs ne ndu saa,nea 70
fountain" He also added, with What ssocist ion
u.s. TSns Arts Federation mad already decided IN the
casA and that nothing could change their OPINION,
Ne moreover admitted that this opinion was oa h;
not upon personal oos Ser apit,ee anu N'''
These utterances betraying marlIest plas az
most astounding degree OF c So
rts es an artist mis- judgment concerning froles-
- Herfsr's work cannot b. relied upon ana We
have therefore concluded to Withdraw anu "e'e0S
90 sMsnectf1,..y submitted for the Heine Monument
COMMITTEES q 1J,1Js THOMANN President.
G. Won SKAL, \lce-Presldeh'
- p MENDEL. Treasurer. -...,
f. RICHARD, Corresponding Secre'a'S'
II G TINM. Recording secretary
Thu r1e,ne Monument Committee consists OF the
.tner,rg nersons who represent nearly al
Iy;,U" social organizations, choral socleles,
e,blatic cubs and rife associations numDerlms
in the aggregate about SKY 1nVu7 mis- Wndmue;-
pc rs, S.jca-president George Won Ska secohu
- Irssident: Henry c. Timm, recordlng
tary DR. E Richard f8grgsP 8aedeT Dr. r. Binder
MM T1ltoo Demuth p O. Dexhemer, CnarieS VI,
Heinz Wiiam Juergensen, Rlcn S. I'm p Pan
rss carl Schiettinger y scnlesngeI, az p 1r T.
Fix ScnW ,rzschlld Albert StetthelheI anu II 49,
Weyland.