New-York tribune., 1900-10-14

sented, If not, indeed, more. On the contrary
in its conservatism and deliberation OF judg-
ment the committee has offered only thirty
names That in itself is gratifying. Still more
so is it that its choices are such as sponta-
neously commend themselves to what Tennyson
felicitously called 1.-The common sense OF most
if not indeed of all. Beyond doubt there are
other names well worthy of inclusion which
have failed to receive the necessary number of
ballots But that is immaterial, because there
are to be other ballotlngs in future years, until
all the tablets are filled with names. what is
material and what is most satisfactory
indeed what is the best vindication of the whole
enterprises that no unfit name has been
chosen Men will want to add others; they will
never want to erase any of these. We have
already printed the list of selected names, but
II is fitting to reproduce it here:
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln,
Daniel Webster, benjamin Franklin, ulysses
simpson Grant John Marshall, Thomns Jef-
fersOn, Ralph waldo Emerson, Henry Wads-
worth LOngfeIIOw. Robert Fulton, washing
ton Irving, Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Fin
ley Breese Morse. David G1ascoe Fnrragut
Henry Clay, George Peabody, Nathaniel Hnw-
thorne, Robert Edward Lee, Peter Cooper,
Horace Mann, Ell whitney, Henry Ward
Beecher. James Kent, Joseph story, John
Adams, William ElIery Channing. John
James Audubon, Elias Howe. Gilbert Stuart
Asa Gray.
There is not a name there that is not house
hold word among all intelligent Americans, and
that is not known and honored throughout the
civilized world. We should be sorry TO think
there was schoolboy above the primary grade
in all the land who could not ofhand identify
each and tell its title to fame And when at
last in the due process Of years, the roll is
swelIed to its full number we have no doubt
that the same will be truly said of 1t all. Per
haps even then it will be incomplete. The
United States is not poor in great names that
even so long list will include them all. But
it will be more nearly complete than any other
such national roll of fame existing in the world.
England's great Abbey is the tomb of many of
her illustrous sons. But it also shelters the
dust of many obscure and unworthy ones, while
many of the very greatest lie elsewhere The
French Academy enrolls large majority of the
foremost intellectual leaders of the nation, but
some of its chairs have been filled by nonenti-
ties and some of the greatest names have
remained outside of the Forty. Far more rep
resentative and at once more exclusive and
more comprehensive will be this Hall of Fame.
If it has not a place for every great name it
will at least have great name for every place.
1t was a happy conception to found such a
memorial 1t was eminently fitting that ii
should adorn the city which, despite all its
faults and shortcomings, is still the greatest in
America not only in size and wealth, but in
intellectual activities and humane achievements
and in all those elements which contribute to
The development Of great men and of famous
careers. 1t was, also, altogether appropriate
that it should form part of the honOred insti-
tuition of learning which has had associated
with it many distinguished names and so
many distinguished achievements. 1t has been
tI,o Io+ Nor bo
pioneer in more than one work of commanding
Importance. and that fact gives it ample title
to be the guardian of this noble shrine of the
Nations greatness