Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-13
THE SHERMAN STATUE.
Two Different Kinds of Disinterested
Advice to the Committee.

Two Different Kinds of Disinterested
Advice to the Committee.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
A very warm admiration for Gen. Sher-
mans character and career, and a lively
interest in sculptural art have prompted
me to take advantage of my presence in
Washington to examine the models now on
exhibition at the War Department. AS a
result, I desire to ask attention to a mat
ter which 1 think is of the highest inter-
est and concern, not alone to the gentle
men who have this work in charge, but cs-
pecially to the thousands of friends and ad-
| mrers of Gen. Sherman who desire that
the real character of the man shall be
pcrpetuated.
This is probably the most important me-
mortal that will be erected for Gen. SHEER
man, and since it will adorn the capital
| OF the natioa, the city in which he spent
so many years, and where his fame really
centers, all will admit that such a memorial
should portray those characteristics which
broadly distinguished his career.
1t was said of Washington that he was
| First in war, first In peace and first IN
| the hearts of his countrymen.' The same
! may be more truly said of Gen. Sherman
| ing tons time. The whole nation owes him
| an everlasting debt Of gratitude for what
| he accomplished in war, and II he had
| nothing else to his credit, that would just
|
come. Educated as a soldier, he was loyal
| to his profession throughout life. He never
| saw an hour when he was not proud Of his
| calling, never hesitated when his duty as
| eAemplar to officers and men the world
| over his career was faultless.
| But while Gen. Sherman was great as a
soldier. he was equally great, If not
| man who ever deliberately declined the
| proffer of presidential nomination. That
| he did this repeatedly, may be known of
| all men, and that in so doing he was act
uated by a conscientious conviction of
| duty-to himself, to his family and to his
| countrymen-there Is the most indubitable
| proof. He counted himself soldier by
| education and profession, and as such ne
| felt himself unfit to take the civil post OF
| President, because he had had no prepare
| ton for its duties.
The history of the United States. and ]
| think of all free government, discloses but
one other instance which parallels this
| heroic action. 1t was Washington who
| spurned the crown that was proffered al
the close of the revolution.
| I might go on and cite scores or lesser
| instances in proof of Gen. Shelman's ex-
allied estimate of civil citizenship but this
| would be unnecessary. There will be none
to deny that the characteristic which made
| the man most truly great, as both soldier
| and civilian, was his great love for the
free institutions which he did so much tt
preserve, his exalted idea of duty as g
] private citizen, MS StedulaSt advocacy Ol
peace, and his honest hatred of war-savt
| only as a means to peace and security.
| And it is just here that l find cause fol
surprise and regret that fully nine-tenthS
of the models, which have been presented
in this competition, represent Gen. Sher
man only as warrior All kinds o.
| bloody scenes of death and deStruct ton
| every conceivable military attitude, and al
| the horrors of what he called the hell o.
war;" are co1spicuously displayed in awful
| array. But il Is only here and there tina
| the trained eye finds the true artist striving
| to show that our hero vas man or peace
| as we'll as of war; and that what we low
| him for beyond his great work as sol
| der, was his grand example and splendi'
| influence in enn billing the citizenship which
| he fought 50 bravely to defend.
| l do not mean to ray that this esSentia
| fact in our hero's career has been overlook
| ed entirely. On the contrary, in few o
the models it is recoy liZed broadly, an
| among men familiar with Sherman's ca
reer and trained in scuptural art, Their
would be 10 difficulty in making a selec
man. But what l wish tc emphasize /
the fact that the overwhelming majorit
of these designs are purely warlike an
destructive in their conception. They d
not represent Sherman-they miSrepreSen
| him.
have every confidence in the good judg
| meat of the gentlemen who are charge
with making the sele ,tion, but after see
ing that 50 many of the artists have gon
astray, l am i1npelled to utter a word G
| warning in behalf Of Gen. Shermans res
fame and for the benefit of coming genera
tions, who should be taught to venerate tn
| soldier for his noble citizenship as well a
his gallant deeds in war.
JNo. r. DUNLAP.