The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-26
NORTH CAROLINA'S INCHES
~ WAIT IN STATUARY HALL
BY CICERO W. HARRIS.

The recent Investigations in Statue
ary nall are worth more than a para
graph. This part of the RepuoIIC'S
Capitol is to us in some narrower
measure what Westminster Abbey is
TO Great Britain and the English rage
at large in all the BritainS of all lati-
tudes, seas and oceans. At first the
intention evidently was to make it 4
circular chamber of the effigieS in
bronze and marble of the statesmen
of the United States The individual
commemorative were, each, to send
here two men deemed most charac-
teristic of the history and ideas of
the people in the Commonwealth.
Hence, from Virginia there was Il
bronze statue of the author of the De-
claration of independence and q copy
in clay OF Houdons statue at Rich
mOnd of the Father of His Country,
who was said Justly of Americans of
his time to have been First in War.
First in Peace. First in the hearts of
his Fellow CitiZens"--not Country
men, as inaccurately quoted from
Henry Lees memorial eulogy by near
~ all writer's and speakers. Hence
Massachusetts sent her two most pre-
cious, characteristic products. if we
except Hawthorne,-John Winthrop
and Samuel Adams, the first Govern
or and the first historian of Massa-
chusetts Bay, and the father of the
Revolution, the great New England
apostle of democracy and state
rights. greatest OF the Adams family.
greatest statesman and leader of New
England, the first man who ever con-
ceived and expressed in formal terms
the idea of absolute independence of
the colonies. Among other notable
contributions on the old idea--ail ad-
herring strictly to that idea--were ef-
fiSies of George Clinton, of Living
st0n, OF Nathaniel Greene, for the
generals of the Revolution OF the
higher grade. were certainly entitled
10 he there. After awhile innovation
rrept In. Small statesmen for big;
the inven tor III the complex statue of
the man who did not invent the
steamboat or first successfully navi-
gated II; then the mere discoverer
of region OF country was chosen to
represent . State OF the Union. But
whether Fulton and Marquette should
occupy space IN our national hall OF
fame WAS c question for the separate
States of PENNSYLVANIA and Wisconsin,
and no voice could deny successfully
their right to Choose. 40 absolute
plan CT action for the States had ever
been laid down by Congress. The re-
suit is that the chamber OF marble
and bronze efIigies has become D
place for the exploitation of caprice
and good and false taste. Ii is a
chamber, or soon will be. of artistic
horrors. for where eccensricity is
permitted to riot in unrelieved con-
troll there is going to be artistic fail
ure. Under the situation it cannot
be avoided. ] do not say that only
statesmen OR great national leaders.
civil or military. should be selected
for representation there, but ] do say
that was the carrier conception. and
il was a, rational conceptions worthy
of Il great people. 1 do say that moth
ing but simple statue, free from
banjo-work and all completely. should
over nave been placed in Statuary
Hall. Il do not say. that no minister
in his robes should ever have been
preferred ny an American State, if it
had had such a minister of God so
superior in his characteristics and
connection with the life and history
of that State as TO. lift him UP over
the heads of all others: but 1 90 say
ihat he should not be an idealized CHI
zen of that State, selected because he
wandered there III its nrimeyal Wild.
erness and performed whatever noble
feats of devotion and sclf-sacrifice.
And what is worse than any of these