The times., 1899-03-12

A Rough Draft of the Constitution
Discussed-The Organization
Formally Named.
The National Memorial Bridge Associa-
ton, which was organized in this city at
the Dewey Hotel on the 22d OF February
last for the purpose of providing ways and
means for building and maintaining
memorial bridge across the Potomac from
the National Cemetery at Arlington to
| point on this side of the river opposite
Analostan Island. met yesterday afternoon
at 4: 80 O'Clock in the temporary headquar-
| ters of the association. 1906 G Street north
west. The meeting was attended by many
| prominent persons from different parts OF
| the United States who are interested in the
movement. The discussion was partici-
| pated in by nearly all present, and while
| there some slight difference of opinion
/ as to the details OF carrying out the project
! it was unuuestionably the sense of the
| gathering that the bridge should be built.
Daniel K Trimmer, of York, Pa, who was
| elected temporary chairman at the last
meeting presided and James f. Clements
| acted as secretary.
The first business was the consideration
| of the constitution, which had been pre-
| pared by the following committee: Hon.
| John b. Henderson of Missouri, Hon. Frank
| Hume of Virginia w. S. Mexican Of Wash
! ington. Rev A. A. L. Taylor of Columbus,
| Ohio; Col William C. Shelly of Kentucky.
| and Charles l. Simms of Virginia Mr..
| Mexican announced that the committee
| had been unable to finish its work. but
| had completed the most important part OF
| it, and it was decided to consider by par
agraph the part already prepared.
| The first paragraph provided that the
association shall be called the National
Memorial Bridge Association OF the United
| States. The objects OF the association as
| set forth in the constitution are, briefly.
| that steps shall be taken Immediately upon
! the adoption OF the constitution to form
societies throughout the United States TO.
the purpose of arousing national enthusi
| asm and taking subscriptions for the
| erection OF a bridge in memory OF the
American soldiers and sailors from the
time of the Revolution to the present day
| connecting Washington with the National
! Cemetery at Arlington. The constitution
| as originally drafted read soldiers and
sailors of the United States" instead OF
| American soldiers and sailors" Andrew
A. LipscCmb objected to this phrassology
and set forth his objections in an address
| bridge as proposed was not intended TO
| stand in commemoration of the soldiers of
| the Union alone, but as tribute to the
| Confederate dead as we'll. He thought it
| ought to be "a wedding ring TO seal the
| union OF the North and South" He thought
| that If the wording of the clause were left
| as drafted there would be a misunderstand-
| ing and much hard feeling on the part Of
| the Confederate veterans.
Mr. Mexican stated that the committee
| had considered the point raised by Mr..
| Lipscomb and in drawing up that part of
| the constitution had had no intention TO
| exclude the Southern soldiers from shar~
| ing in the honor conferred by the building
| of the bridge 1t was finally suggested that
| the qualifying word American" be used,
| instead of the United States" This sug-
| gestion caused general satisfaction and the
| amendment was agreed TO without dissent.
| The constitution provided further that a
| vice president of the national association
| should be elected from each State. ranking
| according to the seniority of his State; also
one from the District OF Columbia and from
each of the Territories. In connection with
this clause il was suggested that the Gov
ernor Of each State be chosen to represent
his Commonwealth 1t was finally decided
to permit the president OF each State asso-
citation to serve as vice president from his
| State.
There was considerable debate over this
time for the election of officers. The con-
stitution was finally amended so that the
election will take place each year on the
22d of February. The permanent head
| quarters of the association Will be in this
city.
When the part of the constitution relat-
ing 10 raising funds was called up DR.. A
P. Farden said that although he was
| heartily in favor of the bridge, he was op-
posed 10 the idea of popular subscription.
He said that the plan had been tried with
| out success a number of times. He thought
that the organization should bend its ener-
gies toward arousing public sentiment 10
| demand of Congress the passage of an ap-
preparation for the building of a magnih-
cent bridge Mr.. Mexican explained the
| view taken by the committee in the mat
ter by saying that the dilatory attitude OF
Congress in the past in providing for the
memorial warranted the belief that If pc
titioning were the only means adopted the
bridge would in all probability never be
built. The committee was of the opinion
that the subscription idea was the only
one which would interest the people and
give the association basis upon which to
gain recognition. He thought that by this
means the attention Of members OF Cen
gress would be directed TO the matter more
forcibly than through petitions from their
! CUHSiiluSutS. NStItNdI1 NAtIitHAo sluNt III
favor of the plan OF taking subscriptions
and reiterated the ideas expressed by Mr..
! Mexican.
Former Senator NJ C. Butler. of South
Carolina. who introduced a bill in the
| Senate about ten years ago providing for
the erection of u memorial bridge AT the
| points named by the association, was
present and told of the passage OF the bill
by the Senate and the unlavOrable action
taken by the House. He said that at the
time the bill was under discussion il was
proposed to erect a statue of Grant at 'he
Washington end of the bridge and that of
Lee on the Virginia side. At that time,
he Stated, the suggestion was not as
favorably received as 1t undoubtedly would
be today. He stated that he did not know
| OF another city of the same size and i'm
portance in the country located or a large
stream where the bridge facilities are as
| poor as here. He advocated the leveling
away of large portion of the bluff on
the Virginia side of the Potomac for a mill
tary parade ground. He said that Wash
ington has no space where three thousand
troops can be drilled.
The meeting then adjourned subject to
the call of the chairman. The committee
| appointed at the first meeting TO consider
the nominations of the national officers
did not make report as was expected. 1t
is understood however, that the presi-
dency OF the association has been offered
To Chauncey NJ. Dopew.
Sol n2nnnp in War CiaimS