New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-12
ON MEMORIALS OF yICTopv
SHOULD THE DEWEY ARCH Re Pm
PETUATED:
To the Editor Of The Tribune

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir Out Of the enthusiasm ,,..
mral Dewey and his men are bc,,u 's" Ad'
from one end Of the country to N. ~'"'"ed
are bound to emerge some permanen, r,o.- e's
Of their splendid achievements at Ma,u. ' ,'.
forms will these memorials take? Hs,a :. 'a'
York the question Is doubtless answered in MAJ.
minds by the indubitabe presen, a,na.. "5
beautiful arch IN Madison Square. Much MAJ
De said IN favor OK the perpetuation OF this mo-,
ument Stiil' the sober second thought Of r..
people may recall, before final action ,ha
Gent maxim applicable to all such o,o,,,o."'
Make haste slowly" Whatever we srao,
commemoration OF our victories. let us con,,aa.
1t on all sides. let us honor our city in hono,..
the naval and military heroes OF the recent con
fict after fashion which will be no less a.
ceptable TO those that come after us than ;.
ourselves. Reflection is essential If we are 90 "a
fulfil the duty lying before US.
Without ignoring the plausible reasons "A.
vanced for the erection Of the arch In end,r,n,
materials. would ask your permission - aears
few OF those which. In respect 10 th!s enter.
prise. make prudence imperative In the Ara.
place. 1t Is pertinent to ask whether we c,n
with sincerity toward the transcenGent cama q,
Washington. build new arch 10 a new hero h.
fore we have completed the one dedicated IN hs
fame. The stately structure in Wash,ne,o,
Square Is still lacking its full complement q,
sculptural adjuncts. Waving this point how
ever. / ask consideration OF the fact that CITY
OF such geographical conditions "a those q
New-York is scarcely adapted 70 the erection OF
broad triumphal arches. Sites could 0. course
be found, but how satisfactory the best II them
would be is open 10 question FvrthermOre-
ard this Is. perhaps, the most important consd.
GRAFTON OF al-the excellence u The Dewey arch
as 1t stands should not blind US 70 the fact thai
it owes it's merit TO many hands. whose cooper.
otion forms one Of the pieasant~s; episodes Of
this time Of general goodwill but q whose Ia.
bors the same harmonious results in marble and
bronze could scarcely be predicted with conf.
dence.
l would strike no discordant note in the chorus
OF praise which has justly risen around III.
artists engaged on this hurried task. | simply
state what every sculptor and architect would
believe unequivocally confirm. thai work 81
art executed in fine materials and for al, tine
is ruined II it represents too great diversity Of
STYLES The present arch reveals little conflict
OF personalities II is true; but mat . because ,s
roughly improvsed character rrevn's any such
disclosure by inviting no scar.mr scrutiny
The material is too coarse for he ets, nble 10 he
destroyed by any irregulariti' 4 B. But In
the cleaning marble which ...h rs very con-
tour. every touch OF the chse n q iiess clear
ness in the bronze. which ,-otlalEls every
quality in an individuals style there would he
no hiding Of the mixed inspiration. the mixed
temperaments the mixed methods which are
fatal to symmetry and beauty These obstacles
70 which I have referred may not ne irsupera-
ble hut. at all events. they should b. carefully
weighed.
Also there is the question Of whether any arch
even though a masterpiece Of artistic homo
geneity-is necessarily the one tribute demanded
by the occasion. Divers other rnerorials pre-.
sent themselves to the mind. and ore OF these
seems to me 10 have special POINTS in its favor
There could pc erected IN Madison Square. at
the entrance to Central Park. or elsewhere 10
the city. two tall fagstaffs sprngrs .-1n bases
| Of marble ald bronze. which wou.u IN h
set upon low marble platforms "h"' '"'no1.
hronze STANDARDS in the Piazza OF IL 5.
| Venice are admittedly among the most beaut'
Phi and aporopriate public decorations IL the
world. They show In the superbly ornamehted
surfaces Of the bronze what scope such aptaI'
emily modest objects give TO the art Oh tns
scu,ntor and designer Such memonais' "
erected in New-York would be, TO my mind no
less effective than in Venice. They "ooia s"s
rare opportunity to the competing sc"'p'o'''
for there is no limit to the taste ana in'enuv"
ness which may be lavished upon them 1n'
SQUARE bases OF marble. adorned with mSAnon
nor,raits OF the heroes OF the war: the orcs'as
bronze members OF the design above tnen' IN
scr,bed with the names and dates OF tn "e'
battles and the Stars and Stripes noatms IN
cessantly aloft. would be an adequate op''~
sion of patriotic gratitude. and wouio uH
tionably strike a beautiful and a mover wv
rho permanent decoration Of the city Vi. "
trase nagstafrs would naturally be dedics~tw
the Army. the other to the Navy "owe ."
both forces be worthily recalled b! the -
names and dates below. by the So REQ ~
above? And would these memorials not " ."
sufficient forerunners OF the NOR esoo'
monuments and statues with which 49, tIe - p"
generation the heroes OF this one are ae'as
Inevitably to be honored? Yours respec'Iu".
MENBER OF THE SCULPTURE sOC11S
New-York. Oct. 10. 1899.
EDWIN GOULD, JR.. RECOFEhIN"