The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-05-13
THE MONUMENT THAT SPEAKS.

The way in which the committees 0
different associations in Texas for con
tracing for the erection Of monument
are imposed upon by charlatans in ar
is most shameful and an imposition upOl
those who without any knowledge of ar
decide upon the monuments. A monu
ment is more than mere sign post a
| the forks of the road. 1t is intended t.
| perpetuate some great historical fact o.
commemorate some heroic deed. and ar
| alone is sufficiently subtle to give ex
| preston to the idea intended to breathe
| from the silent granite.
Under the chisel of the sculptor the mar
BILE is made to speak in the rythm of the
poet or in the eloquence of the orator
A stone that does not impress the be-
holder with lofty thought or some CRATE
full remembrance is not capable of inn
pressing the present generation or pos,
terity
"Likc the primrose on the rivers brink,
A yellow primrose to him-and nothing
more"
But the perfume of the primrose may
touch the dullest susceptibility. but the
cold marble without an idea is simbol
only of death and not the perpetuation of
some generous emotion combining graft
tude and admiration. Better far that the
L.. mt lnp hn
less marble, for the snow will melt away,
but the dull, cold marble will record the
stupidity of its epoch through generations
yet unborn.
Very recently contractor for monu-
ment in this state called upon an artist,
a genuine, talented artist, whose chisel
has wrought into finish and beauty some
of the most eloquent monuments of this
and the old world. in order to apologize
for his work, and he said: 81 know the
monument is not a work Of art. | could
not make it. One figure would otherwise
cost as much as the whole
not want to pay for art, and thus | take
such matters in hand as have the quar-
ries and wish to sell the stone" The
Statesman does not want to interfere
ing the quarries, but with our granite
mountain so near and thousands of such
quarrics merely covered with the surface
of the earth in the same neighborhood,
Z, 30 tbnt 10 ip,nnrt rhla
into Texas is like carrying Goals to New
castle.
But that is not the point. 1t is quite
evident that there is an imposition upon
the creduity of the people of Texas who
are not acquainted with artistic work
when they see it. The marble dealer
makes mistake when he says the people
of Texas do not want to pay for art.
They do want art and they are willing
to pay for genuine art. The price this
dealer secured for monument is in evil
dence of the fact that the people who
contracted with him for the monument
believed that they were getting art. The
naked polished stone was not worth
third of the amount that was paid for
it. The misfortune is that our people
need education in art. We do not mean
that all of them should be educated ar
lists, but that they should be sufficiently
educated in order to know that they will
be compelled to rely upon the plans of
an artist and not rely upon a tombstone
maker If man is sick he employees a
physician; if his estate is in danger he EN-
ploys lawyer, and when our people
want monument the wisest thing TO do
is to employ n sculptor, skilled in art.
1t is quite proper that they should give
the idea to the sculptor who they desire
should speak to generations yet unborn
that idea, but to disfigure every beauti-
full spot in the state with a deaf and dumb
is not only Il reflection upon
the intelligence of the present generation,
but it is an imposition on posterty.