The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-10
DEBATE OVER THE
 GERMAN STATUE Bacon Objects to Figure of Frederick the Great. IS TYPE OF ABSoLUTISM carmack Gets In Good Shot On Refusal to Accept Lees statue-Presi-
 dent Has overstepped
 His Authority.
IS TYPE OF ABS0LUTISM

Washington. March 9.-Durng consid- eration of the army appropriation bill in the senate today. MT. Bacon protested against the acceptance of the statue of Frederiey the Great of Germany, rendered by Emperor William, on the ground that the former German king was not in sym pathy with American institutions.
 MT Stewart defended Frederick the Great against what he characterized as MT. Bacons gross misrepresentation. The army appropriation bill was passed.
 The senate also passed the Philippine | shipping bill after speeches in opposition 1 by Messrs. Culberson and Patterson.
 The consideration of the army appro- priaton bill was then resumed, and an amendment suggested by MT. Proctor, authorizing the secretary of war to ad- l just the accounts between the govern ments of the United States and the Philip pine government, was agreed to. l MT. Bacon inquired if any provision had been made in the bill for the payment of 1 the expenses of erecting the statue of Frederick the Great, contributed by Elm peror William at the war college In Wash ington, and MT Proctor replied in the negative. saying that provisions for such expenditure would have to be made by other legislation.
 Asks for the Authority.
 MT. Teller asked by what authority the statue had been received, and MT. Bacon replied that while there Is no official in- 1 formation on the subject 1t was under stood from the newspapers that the Pres l ident had signied his acceptance of the work, and that congress had not acted in | the matter.
 MT Bacon added some observations re- ative to the acceptance of the statue pre- facing his statement with the explanation that he meant no affront in what he might say either to the President or the Ger l man emperor or the German people. lie would be pleased to have statues Of many l Germans erected in the capital of the United States, men distinguished III science or arts, such as Goethe or Wag- l ner. for instance. But" he went on' do not believe that the erection or statue of Frederick the Great in this city | is in accord with the wishes Of the people | of the United States
 l He was sure at any rate that many felt | that way and he was one of them He l said there is no single thing connected with the history of Frederick that would l make him an ideal with the people or the l United States except his courage and de- votion to his people, which all must ad- mire.
 High Rank In History.
 The qualities, Mr. Bacon continued, give Frederick high rank in history, but ''it is inconsistent with the traditions and the l A1,A ITNatf fAd l that there should be erected here monument to the memory of the man who perhaps to a greater extent than any l other man in his time, was the type Of l absolutism.'
 MT Bacon also contended that no au- thority short of congress with propriety could assign a site in the national capitol for statues. He appreciated, he said, the delicate position in which the President had been placed by the offer of the statue but he thought, nevethless that authority l had been transeended in this case | Mir Lodge called attention to the fact l that ground on which the statue of Fred erick was to be erected was a military reservation. That circumstance, he ar l gued. placed the college grounds on the same footing as the grounds at West Point. where monuments were erected on 1 the authority of the secretary of war MT. Bacon replied that congress had es- pecal control of all public grounds in the l District of Columbia. We have" he went on. many men to whom if we de- sired. we could erect statues" l Robert b. Lee, for instance" sug- gested MT. Carmaek.
 Stand for Different Ideals.
 q wont say that" replied MT. Bacon. 1 What I protest against Is the idea or making the country the dumping ground for statues of men who, in their own coun- try stand for ideals totally different from our own.'
 Mir. Bacon asked. What actuated the German emperor in presenting the ehgy. It will be remembered that the proffer came immediately after the erection of a statue to Rochambeau.
 ''I would be glad if the emperor would send the statue of another German" MT. Steward said that Frederlck's char acter had been grossly misrepresented" He was a most remarkable man, the sem ator went on, and millions of people in this country revere his memory, almost much as we revere the memory of our own Washington 1t would be ungracious not to accept the statue; We should not raise any delicate points about his poiti- cal beliefs.
 Regretted the Criticism. MT. Stewart said he regretted the criti- cism of the acceptance of the statue be- oarca ba thought If U0uld have a harmful