Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-09
GLIDING LIBERTYS STATUE
An Occasion for the Display of Senatorial
Humor.
VIZ. stewart Suggests substitatinS q
e"if Tor the Goddess--Mr. MorriN
Dfslii.es the Le>ity.


question OF gliding the statue OF Liberty
on the dome Ct the Capitol TODAY. and for
nearly half an hour that august body was
highly entertained by the humor OF varI-
Gus senators who commented on the pro.
ject.
Mr.. Morrill, called up the bill approprIats
ing 5000 for this purpose
Il think all recognize" said Mr.. NORTH,
mat the statue OF. the dome of the CaTi-
toi is work Of art. and yet in its present
condition II is impossible to tell even that
IL is a statue 1t is no better than a lump
OF coal. The only possible remed, for 1t il
TO have it gilded''
The senator from Vermont continued TO
say that the joint resolution authorizing
TINS work TO be done had been reported
unanimously from the committee on publto
buildings and grounds, and that to have
the statue properly gilded. including the
cost Of the scaffolding would he about
5000
Al this point Mr.. Stewart arose Under
ordinary conditions" said Mr.. Stewart. 1T
would be quite appropriate to gid the God.
uess or Liberty with gold Blu: under pres
ent conditions ii is peculiarly appropr,ate
lnasmuch as the American peopl.--that ia
a portion of them-have become fetish
morshlpers OF gold. and IT lie according 10
the usual Gus tom of fetish worshipers both
ancient and modern. They exhibit the god
they worship in every possible form IL
you VIII read mythology you will find that
nearly all the gods that have been wor-
shipped are emblazoned on the monuments
the ancients reared and engraved on the
works Of art which they have left Inas-
much as We have no other god now but
gold. let II be emblazoned on the dome OF
the Capitol. where all can see whom We
worship and understand that We worship
nothing else"
Mr.. Stewart resumed his chair amid
laughter from the democratic side OF tho
chamber, and was followed by Mr. Chandler
Of New HAMPSHIRE
Il should much rather that this decIara-
ton should be gold striped with silver.
about half and half" said Mr. Chandler.
amid laughter, but in Difference to my
friend. the Senator from Vermont who
mas always taken a great interest in every
question corcernfng the proper aspect II
the Capitol, and considering that my
friend, the senator from Nevada acquiesces
in the present proposition, 1 will vote for
the measure as II is. although | should
prefer to rave IT a bimetallic declaration"
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska asked MIR. Nor
rill if he did not think II would be appro-
pirate while the Senate was providing for
the gliding of the dome to replace the Cod
dess of Liberty with a statue OF the elder
Rothschild.
Mr.. Stewart Suggests n Calf.
Mr.. Stewart interjected a suggestion that
If any change were to be made of the kind
indicated that he thought a calf should be
fNN NASiO ~ itpieSeHl ilt OflEllai
rangement'
Mr.. Pettus objected to making the sub.
ject under discussion a matter of Jest and
ridicule
Mr.. Hawley said that while he might he
Ignorant on the subject of gliding statues
he wanted to be informed whether any body
had ever heard of taking a splendid bronze
statue and covering ii with gold. He said
that bronze was the appropriate metal for
a statue. He said he would he very sorry
TO see glazing gold statue up there. lie
thought IL would show very bad taste.
MIR. Spooner entered into the humor OF
the debate and inquired whether the gliding
of this statue with gold or even silver
would make 1t look any the less like an
Indian than IT does now.
Mr.. Morrill, did not appear to enjoy tho
humor injected into the debate on his
proposition.
say that the bronze of which this statue
is composed has turned entirely black so
that il has no more the appearance Of
bronze than if it were piece OF black
coal"
He said there was no opportunity to
show the lines of the statue as they would
be shown IL II were properly gilded. He
said that the proposition left no doubt
about it's propriety if the Senate wished TO
show that the statue was a statue instead
of a chunk of coal.
What the Statue Represents.
Mr.. Gray said he wished to inquire I'm all
seriousness what the statue really repre-
sents.
Mr.. Morrill, said it was intended TO repre-.
sent a statue of liberty.
Mr.. Gray-"Some have thought over here
that it was Indian chief or an Indian
squaw. / did not know what il did repre-
sent"
The joint resolution was then reported
from the committee of the whole to the
Senate by the Vice President, but Mr. AL