Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-17
DECORATIVE ECONOMY
Decorations Designed For State
Capitol May Appear at st.
Louis Exposition
pALMER's IDEA OF HIS PLAN
AItho Objections May Be Made Outside
the Capitol Commission Which Favor
This Scheme, it Is Believed All Diff
ficulties Can Be overcome-WouId
Be Great Saving of Expense to State.

/ Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines, June 17.-The decorative
features Of the Iowa exhibit at the s..
| Louis exposition may be something in
which the people of the state will take
unusual pride. if the plans of the Iowa
commission on the Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition and the state capitol
commission are carried out. sugges-
! ton as to the propriety of making use
of the mural and other decorations
prepared for the state capitol in dec
Grating the Iowa building at St Louis,
was made in this correspondence sew
era1 weeks ago. The suggestion has
been we'll received, and today the state
capitol commission received letter
| from Leroy A. Palmer, the member of
art features of the exposition, in which
he states clearly how this double utili-
cation of the decorations may be made.
! Mr.. Palmer in his letter stated:
| las member of the Iowa commits
sion of the Louisiana Purchase EXPOSE
| ton and charged with the duty of taxi
| ing the initiative in the mural and other
decorations of the interior of the Iowa
| building to be erected at ST. Louis,
/, beg at this time to submit to your COM
mission the following suggestions as to
| a possible joint or cooperative action
Of the two commissions in the following
particulars.
| The Louisiana Purchase exposi-
! ton commission Of Iowa believes that
|! the building of the state now in pro-
cess of erection at st. Louis, will when
completed, be beautiful structure ex-
hibiting many striking architectural
and artistic effects on it's exterior fin
/, ish, and to carry out the general effect
| in a most striking way and to fulfill
the, wishes and expectations of the
l9ofas.s ission, IL will require that its in
terror decorations be in strict keeping.
/ from an artistic standpoint, with the
best of any of the states.
Learning that your commission in
tended soon to procure for the capitol
of Des Moines appropriate historical,
symbolic and allegorical mural paint
ings proposed under your directions by
the best artists of our country, the
thought occurred to me that before
such paintings are finally installed or
placed in position in the capitol, it
might not be out Of harmony with your
general plans to have such paintings
temporarily placed in the Iowa building
at st. Louis during the fall of this year
and remain there until after the ter
mination of the great exposition in the
year 1904.
IF the paintings selected by you
are to be upon canvas, and in modern
mural decoration among the best ar
lists, canvas is deemed a far safer sur
face than wall surface, no reason oc-
ours to me now why some of these may
not readily and safely be exhibited at
ST Louis as a part of the interior dec
Grafton of the Iowa building. They
would be seen here by a vast number
Of Iowa people and would materially
increase the interest which our peo-
pie would show toward the work of
your and our commission. A limited
appropriation Of money will preclude
our commission from obtaining the
highest works of mural art for our
building, but with your earnest CO.
operation along the line suggested great
artistic beauty and excellence could
be added to the Iowa building which
would otherwise with us be nearly i'm
possible
"Of course mural or other pictorial
decoration, larger than the wall surface
or panels available in our building are
not included in the foregoing sugges
tons.
IF your commission can see its way
clear to join us in a cooperative effort
to enhance the beauty and artistic ex-
cellence and charm Of the walls and in
terror surfaces Of the Iowa worlds fair
building, I can by the latter part of
September perhaps furnish you with
ample details of the space dimensions
of the interior surfaces and panels OF
the building. SO that you may know
by that time whether our spaces and
panels may be adapted, both as to
dimensions and lighting to the subjects
which you may commission your ar
lists to execute under your orders.
Trusting that these suggestions may
be taken up by you and given your
earnest consideration. l beg to sug-
gest an early reply in order that l may
lay the whole matter before our COM
mission for prompt. efficient and CO.
operative action. l am with very great
respect, Sincerely yours
LEROY A. PALMER.
Chairman committee on decorations,
Louisiana Purchase exposition COM
mittee"
The capitol commission is in session,
but at present busy with other matters;
yet it is known that they are favorable
to this plan il there is no serious OBJ
lection made anywhere. The matter
had been informally talked over by
members of the commissions The only
objection that could be urged would be
the irregularity of the proceeding and
the danger of loss by fire or other dam
age. But it is believed all this can
be overcome. 1t will be recalled that
the capitol commission was directed to
expend certain sums in procuring the
decorations for the great interior hall |
of the state capitol. The opportunity |
for something fine is very great. There
will be several very large panels into
u,h;cb tl,oro will be fitted the mural |