The record-union., 1898-10-11
The LAFAYETTE MONUMENT.
TRIBUTE BY THE YOUTH OF
AMERICA.
Governor Budd's Suggestion OF q
Day for Making Con-
tributions.

Several weeks ago Ferdinand w.
Peck, Commissioner General for the
United States to the Paris Exposition,
set on foot a plan for the erection by
popular subscription Of a monument to
General Lafayette, the same to be un-
yelled and dedicated at Paris on July
4, 1900.
Commissioner Peck, after an organi-
zation for the purpose named had been
effected, notified Governor Budd that
the latter had been elected a Vice Pres
ident of the organization. The Gov
ernor replied, accepting the position
and promising to do all in his power
to further the plan.
Commissioner Peck also addressed
President Mckinley on the subject and
inclosed a copy of the latters reply,
which with his (Pecks) communication
was received at the Governors office
yesterday President McKinley's let
ter is as follows:
Executive Mansion, Washington, Sep
tember IL, 1S9S-My Dear Sir: Your
letter written in behalf Of the Lafay-
cite Memorial Commission i,ls great
ly interested me and have read with
much satisfaction the plans already
outlined for the proposed monument to
the memory of a great soldier and pa
triot
The undertaking is one in which I
am sure it will be considered a privilege
to participate, and the idea that the
students in the schools. colleges and
universities shall take a prominent part
IN this tribute will not only be of vast
educational value as one Of the most
important ep6rns in history, but will
keep prominently before them the in
spiration of a high ideal, of devotion to
great principles and of the public rec
ognition paid to lofty purposes
WIN. MCKINLEY.
Commissioner Peck's communication
to the Governor is as follows:
United States Embassy, Paris, Sep
tember %, 1S9S-To the Governor: It
being proposed to signalize the partic-
ipation Of the United States in the
Paris Exposition Of 1900 by the erec-
ton IN Paris in the name of the youth
of the United States of a monument to
General Lafayette, the same to be un-
veiled and dedicated July 4th UNITED
States Day., at the Exposition;
And it being proposed that the means
necessary for the building of such a
memorial shall be secured by popular
contributions from the people of Amer
lea through the schools and colleges of
the United States;
And to the end that the benefits of
this work may fall largely to our chill
dren and young people, in the attrac-
ton Of their minds to a study of the
great historical characters and events
of the early days of our Republic. I
haf -,
ignate by official proclamation, If pos
sible, October the 10Th, as Lafayette
Day. in the schools of your State-pub-
lie and parochial-when a portion Of
the day be devoted to exercises appro-
pirate to the occasion, and the story
of our struggle for liberty be told anew
to our children
FERDINAND w PECK,
Commissioner General for the United
States to the Paris Exposition.
In accordance with the foregoing re-
quest Governor Budd has forwarded
the following communication to c. T.
Meredith Superintendent of Public In
struction:
Executive Department
Hon. c. T. Meredith. superintendent
of Public Instruction, Sacramento. Cal.
Dear Sir: It is proposed to signalize
the participation of the United States
in the Paris Exposition Of 1900 by the
erection in Paris. in the name Of the
youth of the United States, Of a mon
ument to General Lafayette, the same
to be unveiled and dedicated July 4,
1900, United States Day" The means
necessary for the building to be Sc
cured by popular contributions from the
young people Of America, through the
schools and colleges of the United
States
I have been requested to designate
Wednesday, October 49, 1898, the an
nfversary of the fall Of Yorktown, as
the day for receiving contributions
from the students of the schools of the
United States, and would suggest that
the day be devoted by the schools of
our State to exercises appropriate to
the occasion, to the study of hstori-
cal events surrounding our struggle
for independence and the espousal Of
our cause by General Lafayette and
that such voluntary contributions in
small amounts, as the young people
can afford to give, be subscribed and
renlitted to the Hon Charles G. Dawes,
Controller of the Currency, and Treas