The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-28
CAMERAS
THE III. LIEBER COMPANY.
"a West Washington Street.
MONUMENT FOR G. A. R.
CHAPMAN POST COMMANDER TO
SPANISH WAR VETERANS.
Francis Il. Swift Says Purpose Of
Great shaft Has Been Diverted by
the Legislature.

Fremont T. Swift, commander of George
II. Chapman Post. G. a. r.. in speaking of
the action of John 5. Poland Camp, Span
ish-American War Veterans, in insisting
upon having representation on the board
of control of the soldiers and sailors mon
ument yesterday said there is a mistaken
idea as to the purpose of the monument.
Speaking for himself and also for the post
of which he is commander he said:
ut is a very common saying that there
are always two sides To "A question. but oc-
casionalIy a question arises which IN tact
has only one side TO IL. Such Is the ques-
ton OF who ought TO compose the board or
control of the soldiers monument a mis-
taken idea has crept into some minds IN re-
gard 10 the monument. We have lost sight
OF the original intent for which IT was de-
signed and for which the money was apprO-
priated TO build it. This has been partly
owing to mistakes made by those VINO nad
charge of its construction originally and
partly by the laches of the Legislature.
ut ought TO be remembered that the
movement to erect the monument origi-
mated with the veterans of the civil war;
that they raised quite sum Of money for
the purpose of erecting some kind or a
Legislature for help. When the Legislature
I'm 1857 passed the law providing for the
building of the monument there was but
one thought in the minds of those who adj
vocated or voted far the law. and that was
10 perpetuate the memory OF the patriotism
who fought To preserve the Union. There
was not even an intimatiOn that the mOnu-
ment should represent anything else. 1t
was not to be built to the memory of the
dead alone. but TO the memory of the living
o. we'll: in other words. to those who fought
for the Union as perpetual reminder of
the cause for which they fought.
This grand object was dwarfed when
without authority of law and in direct con-
tradictiOn of the design of the Legislature
those who superintended its construction
nlaCQd tablet record war
with Mexico and of TippecanOe. To make
IL worse they added the capture of Vim
cennes, at which no Indianian took part.
The second instance of dwarhng the object
of the monument when they put over
the two entrances the words ITO Indiana S
silent victOrs, which made 10 To the dead
alone. The Legislature by ordering on the
tablet the record of the Spanish war again
took away from the original design of the
''All this is not said TO detract from the
patriotism of those who fought at Tippe-
canoe or in Mexico or who CALAMITY
rushed 10 the front when war was declared
with Spain. All We're worthy of honor and
remembrance by the people. but the G. \
r. is not narrow, is not illiberal when it
asks that a monument erected to its
honor by its eNertiOns should remain in the
hands of its representatives. The c. A Il
is not asking To have removed from the
tablets the record of the war with Mexico
are they Directing TO the one recently
added as TO the war with Spain. but they
must insist that this is their monument and
that during the few remaining years they
have to live the war of fS61-65 only shall be
represented on the board. As well might
those from Massachusetts, who took part i'm
the war with Spain ask that they should
have a part in Bunker Hill monument IN
Il ungenerous in the Spanish war veterans
To ask TO come in and take away from the
veterans of the civil war what was given
them by the State. When the proposition
was made to include them in the control
of the monument they should have said.
NO. That monument was to the deeds of
our fathers and they must control it p"