Evening star., 1898-11-19
THE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL.

| street The front will be built of pres:
| brick and hght-colored stone
| THE WASHINGTON CENTENNIAL.
| Some Suggestions as to How 1t Shall
| BE Marked.
| To the Editor of The Evening Star:
| 1 read with much interest the communi
cation Of Mr.. Fischer, published under the
| above heading in yesterdays Star, and
| sincerely hope his suggestions have beer
read and seriously considered by the read
| ers Of the paper generally. They are not
| only timely and valuable for what they
| specifically point out, but they are likely
| to do good in bringing out other ideas
worthy of consideration and adoption.
Whether all the things suggested by Mr.
Fischer could be carried out is question
able but about the feasibility and desirable
ity of some of them there can hardly be
any honest differences of opinion. At least
two of them, it seems to me- must sure
ly win the instant and hearty support of
every intelligent and patriotic citizen of the
United States One of these is the PROPOSE
ton for the government to purchase the
old Corcoran Art Gallery building and es-
tahlish therein a national picture gallery.
To carry out this purpose would require
the appropriate of but a comparatively
small sum of money, and Its accomplish
ment would be of inestimable historical
value to say nothing of the important serv-
ice it would perform in promoting public
taste and intoxicating lessons Of patriotism.
And it could be established with little or no
delay. The government already owns a
large number of portraits of men who have
won distinction In the military or naval
service or in civil life. Many, of these are
not only of great historical interest, but of
decided artistic value as we'll. They are
now hung in various places more or less
out OF the way, where the light to display
them is wholly inadequate, and where they
are not only largely inaccessible to the
general public but where they are also
constantly liable to damage, and necessari-
ly lack that attention and care requisite
for their preservation Many of these could
and should at once be transferred to a gal
lery, such as is proposed where they could
be properly cared for and advanta geously
seen at all times, and by all people. Fur
thermore, a collection thus brought togeth-
er would naturally and rapidly be increased,
both in size and Importance, not only by
new additions made from time to time by
the government, but also by voluntary con-
tributions from private individuals possess
ing works of the same class, who would be
only too glad to find a permanent home for
such historical and art treasures, as to the
future disposition and welfare of which
they may have forebodngs or doubts. 1t
is clear, therefore, that with a compara-
lively trifiing outlay of money and in an
gallery Of the greatest possible value and
interest could be established. 1t should be
donei
1 beg to add, however, that 1 do not think
the proposed gallery should be confined to
the limitations indicated by Mr.. Fischer.
In my opinion it ought to be, in the broad
est and fullest sense, a gallery of American
art; that Is. 1t should contain the works of
| American artists only, but should include
| not portraits alone but sculpture, historical
6al1 lfc
! still life. etc, etc. 1t should. in short, en-
| brace anything and everything that would
adequately illustrate the rise, growth and
| development of art in the United States
commencing with the earliest examples and
| continuing down, not only to the present
time, but equipped for the future, and ar
ranged so as to form q complete and sue
| cinct history of American graphic and plas-
tic art.
Equally feasible and of still greater mo.
ment, from material or economic point
| of view. is the proposition for the estab-
| lishment in the capital city OF a permanent
| national industrial museum, where the me-
| chanical and agricultural products and the
| vast and various resources of the country
| would be constantly represented on free eX-
| hibition thought like this, which had
| its birth In this city in connection with the
| then approaching centennial Of the discov-
| cry OF America, was, by the way, the germ
| out of which grew the great Columbian
| exposition at Chicago, which has been OF
| such incalculable value, not only to this
! country alone, but to the whole civilized
| world That the final capitalization here
| of this grand idea would be of the greatest
| possible value, not only to the city OF
| Washington. but to the country at large
! must be apparent to every one who gives
| the subject moments thought. The value
| OF an object lesson such as this single sug-
| gestion contemplates cannot be overesti-
| mated by the most sanguine and vivid i'm
! aginauon. Indeed. the advantages certain
| to How from permanent exhibition of this
| character are so many in number, and so
| diversified In scope and influence that it
| seems unnecessary to dwell upon the sub
| Ject at length or in detail. There is, in
| short, hardly single Industrial or other
interest In the country worth considering
| that would not be immensely and perma-
nently benefited by it,
| other suggestions. as Wen as those Of
| fered by Mr.. Fischer not here specially re-
| fsrred to, will doubtless be made and prop
| erly considered, and others Of great i'm
portance Will no doubt be carried out; but
II nothing but the two objects herein indi-
Gated should be accomplished enough would
| still be gained to be full recompense for all
| the money, thought and labor that could be
| devoted to them. WASHTNGTONIAN.
| November 10, 1885,
i