The times., 1899-04-03
AMERICAN WOMEN
SOURED ON FRANCE
Decline to Subscribe for the
Washington Statue.
Feature of the Exposition May Fail
in Consequence.
Contributions mt First Liveiy-Moacy
Ceased to Come During the
War With Spain.

The patriotic women who are making an
ington statue to be presented to France
have discovered that the war with Spain
has caused coldness between the Amer
lean people and the former
The statue enterprise was inaugurated
about decade ago and for several years
thrived, the cash pouring in steadily.
About two summers ago Mrs. Senator
Mcmillan. of Michigan. who Is one of the
most enthusiastic of the national vice
presidents. with other leading members
OF the Daughters of the American Revolu-
ticn, concluded that IL would be an appro-
pirate occasion to make the presentation
of the statue on July 4. 1900, during the
progress OF the French exposition.
The money collected then amounted to
nearly 1000, and about twice that sum
was necessary to carry out the plan Sc
lected- An appeal was made to the women
of America. asking them to contribute
something for this statue, II only 10 cents
apiece. About 5000 was raised in less
than year and success seemed assured
when the Spanish American war began.
Mrs. Mcmillan explained the result to q
reporter as follows:
Last year our project was absolutely
at standstill. Nine-tenths of the Amer
ican women were firmly convinced that
France was acting unfriendly toward their
beloved nation. and they refused to give
even the 10 cents which we asked 1t
looked as though our patient ten years
struggle was to be in vain.
We need only $4,000, but unless We can
make up for lost time. / am afraid that
our cherished plan of having the memorial
presented in 1900 will fail | attribute
it all to the fact that so many women still
believe that France does not feel for us
the same friendship and sympathy which
existed in the days OF Washington and
Lafayette.
Il think this is a mistake We still
owe deep debt of gratitude TO France
for her aid during our revolutionary strug-
gle, and | think that so long as the women
of America set about this task they should
| complete it."
The women who are in charge of this
project are among the most distinguished
in the country. Mrs. Stephen j. Field,
wife of the former Justice Is the President
The Vice Presidents are Mesdames G. A.
Hobart. James Mcmillan, Phoebe A Hearst,
and Calvin S. Brice. On the list of those
actively engaged in promoting the work
OF collecting are the names of Mrs. William
Mckinley and the wives and daughters OF
the Cabinet officers. together with nu-
merous showing of women prominent in
official, social. and literary life. Mrs.
Hearst showed her interest in the speedy
| success of the undertaking by forward
ing from France few days ago check
fer s.. GOO
The sculptor chosen to make this statue
is Daniel French, OF New York. He has
submitted his model TO the French Acad-
emy and ii has been favorabiy received.
The statue is equestrian and represents
/ Washington in the act OF unsheathing his
sword just before the charge at Yorktown.
The total cost will be about $4,000. The
ladies in charge OF the fund received not
| long ago a letter from their Paris agent,
saying that the French Government had
designated a site for the gift and that it
| would be received with ceremonial dis
play in 1900.