The San Francisco call., 1897-07-06
WASHINGTON IN A BACK YARD.

MlSSlon-Street back yari as a site tor the
historic statue OF George Washington was
not altogether wild and unreason-
able flight OF sentiment. Even those who
cavil at sentiment (mistaking sentimental
lty therefor) are not likely to set up cru
sade favoring the average back yard as a
site for anything but dom icile for the
domestic horse or a coop for the house
hold hen. And the particular back yard
which surrounds the statue of Washing
ton is not an average back yard-it is a
thing apart, a special contrivance of that
ingenious spirit who invoked the amazing
transpositIon trick of placing the yard
around the statue instead of placing the
statue in the yard. To be accommod ated
to this plan ana to the plan of town-lot
subdivision which the Woodward heirs
instituted on the ground OF the old
Woodward's Gardens, the statues back
yard, according to divine fitness OF
things, had to be freakishly ursight!y,
uniquely irregular and panstakingly I'M
civilized. 1t succeeded in being all three.
more unhoIy picture than that back
yard with its patriarchal image of the
father OF his country rising gauntly and
lonesomely out of it would puzzle mis-
sionary in Africa to discover, even in the
spectacle OF his own head peering at him
out of an uncovered missionee's stew
pan. The head of this famous old land
mark of San Francisco. looming above
the board fence on Mission street, seems
to wear upon its reverent face a mute ap-
peal to heaven, uncomp planning but pa
tiently lnquiring as 10 why these men of
the earth have so basely betrayed it and
cast it aside. There is mellow dignity
upon the finely chiseled countenance
which seems to lift it above its associa-
tions there among the RUBBISH and the
ycrdlings and the clotheslines futtering
with their muslins and calicoes in the
Mission winds. The fact that one end of
clothesline is fastened to the statue
itself detracts not whit from the kingly
bearing of our patriots head, but, on The
contrary. accentuates it by contrast with
the igno bility of those who so irreverently
misuse it.
The sculptured form of him who is
"first in war, first in peace and first in the
hearts of his countrymen" (evldence
whereof Is attested by his countrymen's
loss of his carven image in a rubbish
heap) stands in the blue air of freedom
which its immortal original bequeathed
to US, and no one sees the sun kiss the
seams in its aged face, nor the winds
caress the clinging particles which hang
about its crum bling head. He stands
alone, unseen, unhonored and unsung,
but the grandest patriot of US all never
theless, not only on the Fourth OF July,
but on every day of the year.
What are the people of San Francisco
going to do about thisP 1t has been pro-
posed to reclaim it and set it up in Golden
Gate Park. Who will have the ordinary
sense to second the motion? Who will
thereupon act2 Now that we are done
parading and shooting firecracSers. is our
patriotism played out? Who dares TO be
proud Of his celebration of Inde ependence
day, which Washington made, remem ber-
ing that the only statue of Washington in
the City stands in an obscure back yard.
Washington in the back yard, baseb ball
players in the park-and the noise OF fire.
Grafton of Americas defiant cannonading
OF 1776! 'Tis an un balanced performance.
Surcease of it be invoked by every heir of
the Revolution until that figure of the
father, which is the ideal material cvl-
dence of 1776 that has been handed down
to us, shall be lifted reverently from its
present disgraceful position an6 set upon
plane before which We may bow with
fitting respect and gratitude.