Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-05
They Protest Against the Sherman
Monument Award.
CONGRESS- AID TO Be INVOKED
A Letter to General Dodge by the
National Society's President.
MR.. SMITH'S DENIAL

Messrs. Dunbar, Amateis and Gibbs, re-
ported a series Of resolutions protesting
against the action of the Sherman monu-
ment commission in ignoring the recon-
mendations Of the art committee of the
National Sculpture Society in the matter of
the award of the contract for the erection
of the Sherman statue to Carl Roll Smith
of Chicago. The resolutions recite that the
selection of Mr.. Smiths design was the
result of favoritsm in support of which
assertion it is stated that although the art
committee, which passed on the various
designs, placed Mr.. Smiths design No. 10 in
a list of twenty-three designs, the monu-
ment committee, of which General Dodge
of New York is chairman, made the design
NO. in the order of merit and subsequent
ly gave 1t the first place In favor. The
resolutions also provide for the collection Of
evidence during the summer for presenta-
ton to Congress at the next session asking
for a reconsideration of the question as TO
the design for the statue.
Prof. Amateis of the Sculpture Society Is
a strong advocate of a new law to govern
the selection and erection of public monu-
ments. He thinks that the selection should
be made in each case by a separate com
mittee of seven members, to be appointed
as follows: Three by the competing sculr-
tors, three by the Secretary Of War and
the seventh member to be appointed by tie
other six. In this way he thinks favOritism
will be prevented and true artistic results
accomplished.
4 Protest From the Artists Socsc;y.
The Society of Washington Artists has
drawn up the following protest, to be sent
to Congress:
The undersigned members of the Society
of Washington Artists and their associates,
members of the National Sculptors' So
ciety respectfully urge your honorable
body to request the Honorable Secretary OF
War to suspend the execution Of the pro-
posed contract with Mr.. Carl Rohl-Smth
Tor the construction Of the Sherman monu-
ment until the next session of Congress, in
order that the method of awarding the
contract may be investigated.
We ask this more confidently as Congress
has appropriated $4,000 toward the statue,
while only $4,000 has been contributed by
the Army of the Tennessee, and it is cur
belief as we'll as the conviction of artists
generally. that both branches Of your hon
orable body should be represented in the
commission authorized to inspect designs
and award the contract
we also respectfully present the following
memorial which contains the facts we
think most appropriate to be considered
in support Of this petition:
me Society Of Washington Artists have
heard with surprise and chagrin the decision
OF the committee of the Society Of the Army
monument to be erected to the memory of
the late General William f. Sherman in
W ashington. D. c., in direct opposition TO
iead5 faaan reis OF the Jury composed of the
The committee Of the Society of the Army
OF the tennessee in representing to the
sculptors entering this competition that a
jury of artists from the National ScuIntors'
Society would assist in Judging the models
nave misrepresented their Intentions to the
competitors and have acted in an unfair
manner manner toward the competitors and have
shrown a Partially which now proclairns
IL a competition in name only The COM
mittee of the Army of the Tennessee in re-
fusing to accept the judgment Of the jury
frOy, BIO. NJ
ciety have subjected to great indignity and
humliia ton the aforesaid jury of the Ma
tlena! Sculptors Society and the whole art
lstic fraternity OF the country by throwing
out one or the four models selected by the
committee of artists and by substituting
therefore the model by Carl Rohl Smith
adjudged the tenth in the order of merit
said model in the final competition recelv,
ing the award.
THE committee of the Society of the
Army OF the Tennessee have deprived the
city OF Washington and the country Of the
best work submitted. Therefore, in the
name Of posterity and In the real interests
Of art, we, the Society of Washington
Artists, do hereby most emphatically pro-
test against the action of the said com
mittee Of the Society of the Army of the
tennessee and pronounce 1t a fragrant in
justice to all competitors
The Society of Washington Artists have
retained Mcssrs Joseph J. McNally and
Mr.. ]. Walter Wheatley to aid them in
the legal phases which the difficulty pre-
sents and another meeting of the com
mlttee Will take place tomorrow for fur
ther action.
The National Society,s Letter.
AS already shown in The Star, the Ma
tional Sculpture Society of New York is
making a vigorous effort to secure a recon-
sideration of the action whereby Carl Roll
Smiths design of the Sherman statue was
accepted by the national commission. The
Society ia
matter by a committee of sculptors and
architects, composed of Messrs st. eau
dchs' j. =. A. Ward, Olin Warner, D. c.
French, Bruce Price and Charles Post
The sentiment of the society on this uues
ton is shown in letter written by Mr.. J.
=. A. Ward, It's president, to Gen G. M.
Dodge, president of the Sherman monu-
nent commission, and also president of
the Society of the Army of the Tennessee
by which the Smith design was selected
In this letter Mr.. Ward explains the or
ciety. and says that it was glad to be able
10 assist the monument commission in the
consideration Of the various designs for the
statue, adding that 1t is not usual for busy
sculptors to give their time without re-
Enumeration to work upon such a matter.
Then Mr.. Ward enumerates the things
these gentlemen did. This was to select
from among the designs the two which
were notably better than the others; sec
end, to advise your committee to hold a
second competition, limited to these two
sculptors; third, as you had provided to
award four money prizes. they gave two of
these to the two sculptors whose designs
they selected for further competition and
two to the authors of the design third and
fourth in merit"
Surprised at the Award.
Mr.. Ward declares that 1t was with great
surprise that the society learned that the
award had been finally made to one of the
sculptors who was not selected or In any
way distinguished or even named by the
committee of experts, and whose model in
the first competition was not considered
worthy of consideration. The artists who
entered the second competition expected
their work would be submitted to exnert
opinion. The public had right to EXPECT
that expert advice, once asked, should be
followed. The world Of artists who honed
that, In your committees action, a stem
would be taken toward q reasonable and
honest treatment of their work, have a
right to feel, and do feel, that backward
step has been taken. The discourtesy
shown to this society and the extraordinary
rebsn inflicted upon the artists who made
the journey to Washington are of slight
importance compared to these public con-
siderations.
Mr.. Ward concludes with a formal protest
against the action Of the monument com
mission, and says the society will take
every means Of appealing to the public 20
judge between them.
The memberS of the socfat,, .,-,,,