Evening star., 1896-03-03
THE MARQUETTE STATUE
A Desire that NJ. Linton's Resolutions
May Not Como Up for Action.
The Whole Business q Piece of POli-
cOnsin Mans Statement.

The Pere Marquette statue incident gives
promise Of becoming serious issue in the
politics OF great many members of the
House. The burning desire Of many Rep
resentatives now is that the resolutions in
troduced by Mr.. Linton, as reported in
yesterdays Star, may never come up for
action. If they do an issue will be present
ed which will put some Representatives in
most embarrassing position.
It was reported that Mr.. Linton would
withdraw the resolutions that he offered In
the House, but this was erroneous. Mr..
Linton said today he would not do so. The
fact is that it would be very difficult for
him to take such action, as 1t could only
be done by unanimous consent, and that
would probably not be given.
May Be Withdrawn.
1t is thought that the resolutions will
slumber quietly in the committee to which
they have been referred and that at the
next meeting of the Wisconsin legislature
a bill will be introduced to substitute for
the Marquette statue memorials to two cit!
zens Of the state. If the legislature should
take such action the Marquette statue would
be quietly withdrawn, and a number of
members Of the House " ould have load
of apprehe nsion lifted from kheir minds.
Protests from the A. p: A. are already
Of a stereotyped form and evidently ema
nate from a central source. Representa-
tive Dingley has received one, which is a
sample of the others. 1t is sent by the
officers of the executive beard of the state
council Of the American Protective Asso-
ciation Of Maine. 1t recites the intention
to place the statue "in the statuary hall
together with that Of the immortal Lincoln
stricken down by the hand of the Jesuit"
and protests against placing that statue
among those of American statesmen"
A Piece of Political JObbcry.
This Marquette statue business has been
piece Of political jobbery from start to
finish," said a citizen of Wisconsin to
Star reporter today. ut was gotten up
originally for political effect, but has proven
boomerang. and will probably turn out
to be more so before the matter Is ended.
The history of tine whole affair is this: In
1885 there was q man in the Wisconsin
senate named George G. Ginty, who was a
candidate for governor. He had had some
trouble with the Catholics, and was fearful
that he would lose the Catholic element of
the state in his candidacy. To placate that
class he introduced bill in the legislature,
ates, to put the Marquette statue in the
National Capitol as one of Wisconsins me-
MORALS. The bill passed the legislature in
1887. and was sent to Jerry Rusk, at that
time governor of the state, afterward
member of Mr.. Harrisons cabinet, for his
signature. For four or five days Gov. Rusk
refused to sign the bill. He said that
Father Marquette was not a representative
of Wisconsin in the sense of being 4 citizen
or soldier Of the state. and that it was not
p1 oper to send the statue to Washington.
"Mr. Ginty then went down to see the
governor. He told him that the bill was
merely a political bluff. that nothing would
ever come of it, and the statue would not
be sent to Washington.
Mr.. Ginty told him that if the bill did not
become law 1t would be a severe blow TO
int md hn 1fpn tod
Gov. Rusk. as personal favor to him. to
sign that bill. Yielding to this pressure, and
with the belief that the statue would never
be put in place, Gov. Rusk signed the bill.
That is the whole history of the case OF
&C urse. after the legislature passed the law
the admirers of Father Marquette made 1t
thetr business to see that the statue was
duly furnished. and the Sculptor Trenta-.
move was commissioned to make one. l
raight add that Mr.. Ginty did not reap the
benefits he expected from this action. and
did not secure the goveruorship. He left,
however. heritage. to the Wisconsin dele
cation in Congress which Is likely to give
them a great deal of trouble, and 1t is very
probable that they all wish that Mr.. Ginty,
like another member of that family. whose
name bore the prefix Nc had been at the
bottom OF the sea before he started this
ball to rolling
Center of Attraction.
The Marquette statue continues to be the
center of attraction in Statuary Hall. 1t is
by far the most beautiful work Of art N
the hall, in the opinion of many, and is
constantly surrounded by an admiring
throng. who. If they cannot all indorse the
policy Of placing 1t there. at least pay
tribute to the artistic value of the statue.
In view of the threats which have been
made to destroy the memorial, member
of the Capitol police force keeps watch
over ii all day long, and also at night, to
prevent any mfscreant from attempting to
ceface it. So thorough is the watch main