Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-21
Some Criticism of the Recent
Award BY the Commission.
THE Two LEADERS
DOUBTFUL WHETHER MR. ME
HAUs WILL ENTER.
His Position Stated by Friendship
Amateis Speaks About the
?; Decision.

obstacles in carrying to tangible shape the
decision made by the advisory committee
| in the recent competition held in this city.
The advisory committee, composed of
General Schofield and General Merritt and
Messrs. Daniel H. Durham Charles F.
McKim, Daniel c. French and Augustus
st. Gaudens, decided that the design of
| Henry Merwin Shrady of Brooklyn was
first in intrinsic merit, and that Of Charles
H. Niehaus was very close second.
In its report the advisory committee
stated that it was not quite sure of Mr..
| Shrady's power to execut figure Of Cen
| eral Grant with the nobility and reserve
| power that it should possess" Mr.. shrady
| was asked to submit a new model Of the
equestrian figure, the remaining port of
| his work being considered entirely salts
| factory.
Mr. Niehaus, whose work was praised by
! the committee was also asked to submit
new model in competition with Mr..
| Shrady, and the sum of $3.50 was suggested
| as reasonable compensation for the extra
work If the design should be finally given
| to Mr.. Niehaus the $3.50 would go to Mr..
| Shrady.
Award Criticised.
| 1t is doubtful If there has ever been an
| art competition conducted by the govern
| ment of the United States that has caused
| more talk among the competitors them
| selves, although the competitors to a man
| have avoided expressing themselves for
| publication.
| AS might naturally be expected, there was
| dissatisfaction over the decision Of the ad
| visory committee, each competitor feeling
| that his work was the best and therefore
worthy of at least prize. AS only six Of
the competitors could be included In the
v,rS01 tot <I,,a - o%t
Before Mr. Niehaus left Washington. after
| the decision of the advisory committee, ap-
proved by the memorial commission. was
| made known, there was no doubt as to his
| attitude and although he studiously avoid
ed any discussion Of the matter it was said
| by his intimate friends that he would de-
! cline to enter again into competition for
furnishing the memorial.
Mr.. Nehans was in Washington through
| out the time the models were on public
exhibition. Mr. Shrady, so far as known
| did not come to Washington, his design be-
| ing placed in position and looked after by a
| personal representative.
1t is understood that Mr.. Niehaus did not
| hesitate when talking to his friends in
| Washington, to say that he was surprised
| that the committee should have made the
| distinction between himself and Mr.. Shrady
when at the same time the body was not
sure of Mr.. Shrady's power to execute the
work that was demanded In the competi-
| ton. 25T-'
| NlenauS, II IS understood. Is said to
| have declared to his friends, although not
| officially to THE Grant memorial commits
| sion, that he will not enter a further COM
| petition. giving as his reasons that he has
| all the work that he can do, and that the
| only reason that he entered the competition
was the honor that would come from being
a winner. '-'iEt.. -
On the other hand, the friends Of Mr..
| Shrady are not dilatory in demanding that
| he won the first distinction on his merits:
| that the committee, composed of men so
we'll known in art and other professions,
| could have had no other motive than Civ
ing credit to the best production. Particu-
| larly do the friends of Mr. Shrady insist
| that the fact that he Is a young man should
not be the cause of prejudice. They main
| tain that every man who has ever achieved
| distinction must have had beginning, and
| that until it Is proven beyond all reason
| that he Is incapable of accomplishing the
| They are equally severe in their criticism
| Of the advisory committee and the commits
sion as the friends Of Mr.. Nfehaus
| Friends of MIR. Shrady declare that it Is
| question to be decided entirely between Mr.
| Shrady and the commission, and not be-
| tween Mr.. Shrady and Mr.. NIehaus. IT,
| they say, the members OF the commission
were to decide that they were not warrant
| ed In giving the final award to Mr. Shrady
| through doubt Of his ability to complete a
| satisfactory statue then they could prop
| erly pass on to the next In line Of excel
lence Of design; but, in any event. they de-
| tween Mr.. Shrady and Mr. Niehaus
| Not few OF the sculptors who were COM
| petitors for the Grant memorial are said to
| have announced a determination not to en-
| ter another competition for the govern
| ment. They point to the statue Of General
| Sherman which was expected would be
decided by the committee appointed for the
| purpose on the merit of the design, but
which, they say. was given to Mr. Rohl-
| Smith because OF the preference for him
by member Of the awarding commission
The statue has never been completed, they
say, and is a gfaring demonstration of what
| may be expected If competitions are not
| conducted in the interest of recognizing
| merit and the experience and ability Of the
| winner to reproduce the successful design.
A scu1ptor's Opinion.
| Mr.. Amateis of this city, who was an I'M
successful competitor for the Grant me-
| mortal, said to Evening Star reporter
| today that he quite naturally differed with
the advisory committee In It's decision.
| Yet" he said, 1T was the best commit
| tee that we could have had, or expect to
have. Although the decision does not meet
with my approval, stiIl feel that ought
to accept the decision gracefully and phil
osophically. 1t is infinitely better than II
the decision should have been made by
clique of sculptors AFFILIATED with the
Sculptors' Society in New York, and Of
which Mr. Ward is at the head, and still
better than III the committee should have
been composed Sof laymen, which would
| have been a bigger mistake.
"Mr. French. Mr.. ST. Gaudens and Mr..
McKim are at the head of their profess
| sions in Ameriea and are recognized even In
Europe as he!besN They do not belong to
any ring or oliauE 1t is not to be expect
| ed that I. as a competitor. should agree
with their de9fsionr yet have the utmost
respect for their opinion. And they, of
course. respect my opinion. which differs
81 desire to say THIS. II Mr. Niehaus were
to be given the contract for the Grant me-
mortal there Is no doubt that he would per-
form the work With credit to himself and
| to the government, He has won his spurs.
He is known Tor the work that he has done.
Mr.. Shrady has done credtable work in
| miniature, but ae has never shown what he
| can do on laFgeE SCALE.
| Fifteen yeaEs ago a contract was let in
| Italy for a nd6n,iIffhnt to Victor Emanuel.
| A vast amount of ahoney was appropriated
| for the work. Several millions was set
| aside for the equestrian group. There were
a number of competitors. The contract was
ON rdo n to ChiaradfQ uho hod