Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-01

chairman of the G. A. R. committee on the
memorial bridge, in April 1902, in which he
said:
1t has long been the hope of the Grand
Army that there might be erected at the ma
donal capital a fitting memorial to the
Yalor and patriotism of the American SOL
dler, as an object lesson to quicken and
stimulate the patriotic instincts In the
hearts of the youth of the land
The great leaders of our armies have been
honored at the capital by statues of marble
and granite and bronze but we look in
vain for a single memorial TO the enlisted
men of any of our wars, though they bore
tne neat and burden of the day and though
more than half million gave up their
young lives for God and country
Across the river on the heights of Airing
ton Is the city of our dead. where sleep 49,
600 of the country's defenders. The Grand
Army believes that bridge across the his
torfc Potomac, from the capital city to Ar
Hngton, might be made a fitting monument
to the memory of our brave soldiers, and
1t is the earnest wish of it's members that
such bridge be constructed.
Nor is this wish confined to the members
OF the Grand Army. The confederate vet
Grams unite with us in asking for the speedy
commencement of this undertaking, which
will add another link to bind together the
north and the south.
Some weeks since two ex-Union and two
ex-confederate soldiers called on the Presi-
dent and invoked his aid IN obtaining from
Congress a small appropriation sufficient TO
enable the corner stone of the bridge to be
laid during the week that the national en-
campment is to be in session. They We're
received most courteously and. We're assured
OF his hearty cooperation.
Joint Committees Report.
The joint committee which waited on the
President as stated by Mr. Hopkins. was
composed of himself, James Tanner, VIM.
A Gordon and Frank Hume, the two last
named being confederate veterans In a
separate letter written by Messrs Gordon
and Hume to the President. they said in re-
gard to the memorial bridge, in part:
THE project has inspired the greatest in
terest here and throughout the country,
meets with the heartiest approval of the
veterans of both armies and has been en-
braced as special feature In the plans of
the park commission. When this bridge is
built II Will be more than highway more
than an example of American engineering
skill, more than work of art; it will be,
In the words OF your lamented predecessor
Mr.. Mckinley, a monument to American
patriotism 1t will bridge the historic Po-
tomac Will unite the capital of the nation
with that historic spot where so many
brave men sleep their last sleep beneath
the sod of the commonwealth of-Virginia
and Will be a memorial that the sections
are no longer divided but are bound to-
gether by common interests and the same
love of country.
I'VE confederate soldiers would prefer IT
TO be a memorial to the devotion to duty
and conspicuous valor of both sides in the
great contest: but If that cannot be let 1t
be memorial to the devotion to duty and
valor Of the Union side alone. They de-
serve such a memorial, and confederate
veterans entertain no feeling of jealousy
toward them, knowing that praise for one
side will inspire like praise for the other"
Statues Erected.
In closing his history Of the project Chief
Clerk Scoheld says:
With reference to statues erected in
commemoratien of distinguished officers of
the civil war. statues have already been
erected of Scott. Thomas. Logan. McPher-
son. Hancock. Rawlins. Farragut and Du-
pont: and statues are now In process of
erection. or In contemplation. of Grant.
Sherman, Sheridan and Mcclellan. In adj
2itions there are statuea Of ex-Presidsnts