Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-03
PICTURE OF WAR OR PEACE
AdOmmsnt for Iowa Capitol Must Soon Be
Selected by Commission.
KNOTTY PROBLEMS IN DECORATION
Commission VIII soon He Named to
Complete IOwa's Capitol Building
interior TO Correspond with
Handsome Exterior.
(From a stan Correspondent

DIES MONIES, June 2.-(Special In a
very short time the commission will be
named that will undertake the completion
Of the Iowa capitol building and make of
1t all the way through as 1t now is on the
exterior one OF the finest buildings in the
world used for legislative purposes. This
commission will be composed of one who
is not a republican and two who are re-
publicans. Governor Cummins has not al
ways been fortunate in picking democrats,
but will probably exercise unusual care
this time to make certain that his nominee
for the democratic position may not turn
out to be a republican Of recent acquisi-
tion. One member of the commission will
be an artist or an expert in decorative
work. another will be either an architect
or engineer and another Is likely to be a
plain, ordinary business man, who can hg-
ure on contracts and see that accounts are
kept straight. II is evident from the law
that the legislature did not intend that
the capitol commission should personally
supervise the work of finishing the capitol.
In fact the work might as we'll have been
left to the executive council. The positions
will be honorary only, and the chief work
Of the commission will be to decide on
the character Of the decorations and the
letting of contracts for work. The legis-
lature provided for only nominal pay for
the time put in. so that the members Of
the commission will be men who will enter
upon the work with a desire to do the state
some great good rather than to make a
profit out Of it.
First Problem TO Face.
One of the first great problems before
the commission will be that Of deciding on
fha pauraI paInftn0a for tho Grand oorridor
The commission will be authorized to Sc
cure designs or suggestions and to pay for
the same. What shall be the nature OF
the decorations and the general style of
the interior finish? Shall the great panel
at the head Of the stairway be filled with
a painting illustrating a battle scene or a
civil scene, by an illustration of some
reality or an allegorical picture? This
is a question that will come to the commits
sion almost as soon as 1t is appointed.
Peter A. Dey OF Iowa City, the veteran
engineer and builder, who had something
to do with every stone placed In the great
capitol building, recently talked with the
writer about this work OF the capitol COM
mission. II am greatly pleased with the
law enacted by the last legislature" said
he. at comes up fully to the expectations
Of the commission which prepared the
plans for the completion Of the capitol;
In fact, the legislature appropriated a lit
tie more than we asked for TO allow for
contingencies. 1t appropriated all that can
be spent with profit for each year and made
an excellent division of the money to be
used. / believe that the commission to be
named can complete the capitol with that
appropriation and make it such a building
as was planned from the start. Provision
Ia rnada fnY thu avRanditura 0f nnnnav f0
secure designs and suggestions for the Ia
terror decoration. That is very necessary.
The state capitol Of iowa ought TO have
the best that can be secured. The capitol
ought to be made beautiful inside as well
as out.
Does NO Favor War Picture
IT think this building affords the best
opportunity in the world for decoration.
Our commission to prepare the plans visited
a number of buildings to get suggestions.
In some Of these everything is subordinated
to the architectural plan and in few is
there such decoration as / think we should
have in the Iowa capitol. I would certainly
not favor a war picture for the grand
panel at the head of the stairway. The
picture should be something illustrating
Iowa and typical Of the state-I do not
know what, but certainly not a scene OF
fighting. The suggestion of an illustra-
ton showing General Scott treating with
the Indians and making the Black Hawk
purchase appears to be a good one. Gen
eral Scott was a fine man. l remember
we'll how he appeared and he would be a
striking central figure for such a picture
and the portraits Of the Indians could be
got. But those are matters Of detail for
the commission to work out. l believe,
however, that the commission should go on
the theory that nothing can be too good
for that capitol"
Governor A. B. Cummins is also opposed
most emphatically to a war picture in the
large panel in the capitol. A picture IL
Illustrating the battle Of Wilson's creek has
been suggested. because so many lows SOL
diers participated therein forty years ago.
There is no battle that has been fought on
Iowa soil outside OF Indian fights.
But battle scenes are seldom satisfac-
tory" said Governor Cummins, speaking OF
this matter. "It is impossible TO make a
picture Of a battle and gain any other eff
feet than that Of a great clash and a cloud
Of smoke. Then 1t is impossible TO get
much detail into the picture. faces and
forms are not distinct; and besides there
is always something. to me, inc%ongruous
in q picture Of men in action. The at
tempt to put on canvas a scene represent
ing action seems impossible for me. This
may not be art, but 1t is a feeling l have
In regard to these matters. Besides there
is no battle that can be pictured that would
illustrate Iowa.
Should BE Typical of state .
my idea of the painting for that panel"
he continued, would be some painting that
will illustrate and suggest the genius of
Iowa, some conception that would stand as
typical Of the state. 1t would not be for
me to go into details, that for the artists;