The San Francisco call., 1904-11-25
WORK OF NATIVE SCULPTOR.


One further fact in the story of this
memorial touches our local pride and
adds to our qualification. The monu-
ment is the work of a San Francisco
sculptor. a native of the city, an artist
whose original genius terminated,
blossomed and bore fruit under Cali
fornia skies, without the aid of for
eign training or inspiration. Surely
then we may look upon this new orna-
ment of our city with a glow of just
and genuine satisfaction, for from first
to last it is an outcome of our crea-
tive faculties and self-directed ener-
gies. 1t is a city of our own making
that is growing up in magnitude and
in magnificence around us. 1t was
founded by the enterprise of our
fathers; we are advancing it by our
industry and adorning 1T through the
impulses of our patriotism by the
artistic triumphs of our native genius.
Far beyond the reach of local pride,
far above the height of local patriot
ism, are the reaches and the heights
lifted by the memory of the great
statesman whose fame and service this
memorial is designed to commemor-
ate; yet even in his story there are in
cidents that touch us closely. We re-
call that he dwelt for a while in our
city, looked into our eyes, grasped our
hands, felt his heart beat responsive
to our love, spoke in warm COM
mendation of our achievements and
gave utterance to lofty and splendid
prophecies of our future greatness.
We remember that his hand turned
the turf for the foundation of the
monument that stands in the heart of
the city to commemorate Dewey's
great victory in Manila Bay and that
it was his friend and colleague, en-
other President of the United States,
Theodore Roosevelt, who in his turn
broke the ground for this monument.
Thus we have local recollections to
bring his personal influence near to
us and to give something of tender
ness to the feeling with which we re-
call the far-on greatness of his work
and the sublime heights of his illus
trious career.
WROUGHT WORLD DESTINIES.
It is most appropriate from the
point of view of the larger history of
the world that he should have laid in
this city the foundation of the me-
mortal of the victory in Manila Bay,
for despite his many services in our
domestic politics he will be remem-
bered by future generations chiefly
because of his connection with the
war in which that victory was won;
war in which his personality as the
leader of the American people exerted
an influence so potent as to affect the
destinies not of this country only, but
of the whole world.
William Mckinley became President
of the United States at period when
forces. unnoted but irresistible, were
about to readjust the balance of the
powers of the earth and change the
front of this republic from the At
lantic to the Pacific. When the war
against Spain broke out no one looked
for the requirement of any area of
conquered territory. 1t was absolutely
a war waged for humanity alone. The
evils in the island of Cuba had be-
come intolerable to the civilized world.
The dreary story of blood and ruin
was too cruel to be longer borne. HUI
man sympathies could endure no
more. Christianity, chivalry, civiliza-
ton itself cried out for a champion
to stand across the path of the on-