The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-18
AfEW WORDS ON MONUMENTS

II is an unfortunate circumstance that the
small remnant Of the old veterans OF the
Republic OF Texas can not be In Galveston
on San Jacinto day to witness the unveIl-
Ing OF the first monument worthy the
name raised In Texas to the heroes Of the
Republic.
don't forget--nobody could--the Alamo
what's ts-name" In front OF the capitol
at Austin. But, In all seriousness. does
that carry to anybody any suggestion Of
the deathless sacrifice OF the men Of tho
AlamoY The old pile OF stones called the
Alamo monument that burned with the cid
capitol had a simple and ragged dignity
and pathos that spoke to the heart o. the
men who sent no messenger Of defeat, but
died to man, as only heroes can, at the
post Of duty.
This amazing new monument, standing
on the most conspicuous ground in all
Texas, is suggestive OF nothing bnt a
rather expensive soda fountain. Mr.. Ros-
enberg's bequest to Galveston in honor of
the men who made Texas is fitting ex-
preston OF gratitude to them for the work
SO splendidly performed.
The committee that had the monument
in charge were wise In their generation.
They recognized the fact that to speak 10
pie 1t required an artist, man OF cui;jva-
ton and imagination as well rs n master
workman 10 give to his figures the spirit
which animated those old pioneers in life
The committee went to Italy, home of art,
to find him, and 1t took the artist years
to work out his idea of the meaning OF the
Alama, Goliad and San Jancinto, the dog
Ged perseverance and llonlike courage Of
the men who carved the Republic of Texas
After all 1t Is only ideas that talk. And
SO the statues and bas reliefs on the Ros-
enberg monument live They are our very
own kin, whose names stir the blood and
make our hearts swell with pride. And
they will speak to our children and our
chlldrens children OF the brave deeds and
still Drawer deaths of our soldiers aud
martyrs.
Is not this what you build monuments
for--that it may tell not only of your
great man. but of the genius that planned
and the courage that performed? Your
real sculptor writes history in an ex-
preston Of the face, great action In
pose OF the figure He is as much an an
atomist as any medical man. low else
could he produce his effects?
The crude attempt at monument building
In Texas Is enough to make the angels
weep. Great generals, noted for their
grace and dignity as much as for their
dash and fire, stand awkwardly on jointless
legs; great statesmen stand awry with
twisted backs, and all with such wooden
faces that their own ghosts wouldn't rec
ognlze them II they met them In the
road t.+
Rev. Hudson Stuck never said a mort
pertinent word than when he babe our
monument builders pause. IA block CT
stone, cut out with an axe by stone
mason, with name written under It, is
not statue any more than 1t Is art"
The ladies' OF the Calhoun Monument
association of South Carolina, after many
trlbulations--the monument bonds were
sewn into their petticoats to save them
from tho vandals, Sherman's bummers dur
lUh luG AWFUL GlNilftN Ill duu were INNS
saved through much refugeeing AMI re-
ccnstruction---at last erected a monsteosi-
ly On Marion square 9nd wrote Calhoun"
under II. Eight. ten, years went BY and
the monument grew uglier and more I'M
hearabie each year until in SELF defense
those sensible women went to work, raised
more mercy, then pulled down their hid
eous Calhoun and employed an artist
think Zolnay-to do their work. Several
years ego the new monument was unveiled
to great crowd of rejoicing Charles
tonians.
The Lion OF Lncerne,' Thorwaldseu's
masterpiece, concentrating the fall Of
The Swiss Guard on the bloody stairway a
Versailles. is simply crouching lion cut
out OF the solid rock on a hillside in Lu-
oerne. But 1t expresses woe. unatterable
woe. and deepest despair. One can not
keep the tears back looking at 1t. All the
tragedy of that bloody day aud all the days
that followed is written even in the drnop
OF the lions tail, and Thorwaldsen's gem
ius makes YOU see it.
We have no Thorwaldsen's. but there
are numbers of sculptors that can make
Hoods brigade at the Wilderness tell its
story; that can send the Terry Rangers
Gathering down the Murlrsvsboro turn
pike behind Forest; or on that last charge
at Atlanta Then why wooden soldiers,
led by wooden generals?
al