New-York tribune., 1905-12-17

"wa'aI. swan ef de driver amt ther offside
of the pesky critters.
by gum! I never seed sich a queer neokSoAe
in my life before.
.FJ1h. a neckyoke all in different pieces"
Tibet amt a linchpin wagon. nuther
Anyhow, them's mighty pretty girls hes got Du'
who ever seed sich clothes on our FARMER sii'S
fifty years ago."
The sneakers were Iowa farmer art critics.
THO subject was Edwin H. Blashfelds SoVc
,aJnting entitled Westward" which mas just been
bung hv the New-york artist in Iowa's Sz"o'oO
State Capitol. =,
ART and reality are far apart in the painting In
tto oninion of many Iowans who have inspected II
81 the Capitol at Des Moines, where Mr.. Biashneio
s,,nertntended the hanging week ago.
THE day after the painting had been hung over
the grand stairway in the Capitol building the an
rua1 meeting of the Iowa State Agricultural so
cietv began Hundreds or FARMERS Ai0iii ~
the state were present
The farmers spent more time soHdylhg 'psa'
-atntinp of Mr.. Blashields than they did the e@-
bibjts of corn and other crops IN the same ou'-
t come of them won prizes for the best ears
of corn. but they couloh : oe 'oiii '
F3lash6sld canvas.
.41-se Spirit of Civilization Moving West"af" is
.ha o47ctal title of the painting which shows the
old fashioned prairie schooner with the usual I'll
rants. and other scenes typical of Western farm
life. - " p,axb
field had left Des Moines.
r.. c.,-t+oI Irnrroverneut Commission. or WHICH
cto r. Funk is chairman. and which mad
5rd the paintng and made the contract WIN
- +ts+ we're permitted 10 view the canvas De
fora the scaffoding was removed Smiles OF pieas
- a Qualification wreathed the features OF the
,,o,,bsre og the commission as the beauty ol ile
e+ ,ea1 work of art placed in. the Caplto.
-, 60. ,-1,fch they had themselves to thank, burst
upon them. Suddenly stei
brow of Senator buhk' ,, ~.
as. .ba+ necI1voke?' he suddenly asked ms
,iaa,,ee nonting a long forefnger at the lead
s re, in the panorama OF prairie scnooness
ona feminine figures that float and ride as com
-anions for the wagons ana ploleeis "'6
ward tourney is thus portrayed
The o+i,er members looked. j. 6 Ctnnnlhs'
ne Sfoines artist couldn't see anything wrong
aT,,,,,t a, %. snorted the Senator. LOOK again.
,r,o rainier had devised for TINS particular yoAe
- oxan a yoke OF bolted timbers' ihpfoFiseu ioi
the occasion evidently and ilihslratiie' az nc Soii
eefyed f. the fact that sometimes 'ne.o -, -
- hsnd In poneer days the well fashioned yokes
20 which beasts OF burden Tor 'he '''e' pa
their heads and bent the neck
w made yokes except In one piece. saia
,.,.tr,,a, rr,nk euphatcally. "Yokes would nave
-, yr.tb a iointed affair Of that kiho.
NJ 4s1asbheld was hastily summoned, ne was az
MED nv mis- assistant, and e%palleo Una. Tue
,,olre was intended Illustrate the ieSoo
OF iowa pioneers. ~ ,.or
- ~. ,-,,.,rrnan Funk knew better He had been
lsr - br,seIf- in Dickenson County. ana had
- lots of oxen at work in the ola days None
- thep. wore iointed yokes. Ine farmers WIN
,aab a. IL" said he. "Al those VINO nave ever
seen a real yoke Of oxen. ,,a -
- so afr Biash1eid decided that ne ~ouid con-
anu ,,se ideas of the commission He spent the