Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-16
What DR.. Conway Says.

DIR. Conway's original letter is inclosed
herein:
Hotel Continental. Paris,
January Q, 1906.
Dear Colonel-In reply to your letter of
December 81, beg to say that a plaster
cast still does duty for the promised Lafay-
cite statue. 1t is the same old plaster cast,
which was used at the dedication exercises
on July 4, 1900. The only difference Is that
the cast is now in very dilapidated condi-
ton. Some two years ago a hoof fell OFF
the horse and a boot off the hero. Paul
Wayland Bartlett, the sculptor, patched
the parts together, and did the whole thing
over with bronze paint. Now the thing is
once more weather worn. The horses neck
is arched wrongly. his tall is superlatively
twisted and big white spots appear on the
shoulders and sides the paint falls off.
Furthermore, the young general looks knee
knocked
Whatever is the cause of the delay. 1t
is decidedly bad management on the part
of the committee to allow such length
OF time to elapse before erecting the real
statue. Ii is also bad management to
have the plaster cast In such sorry plight.
It's condition is very humiliating to Ameri-
cans residing In Paris.
Robert j. Thompson Is secretary of the
Lafayette memorial committee. Melville
r. Stone Is also on the committee. but
rarely ATTENDS Inc meetings. IhoNldS
Hastings of New York Is the architect of
the statue, and is likewise on the commit
tee So are man called Palmer from
Chicago and Archbishop Ireland from st.
Paul The archbishop delivered the dedica-
tory address Ferdinand w. Peck of Chi
cago was, and believe is, also on the com
nittee. II was he who. when commissioner
general to the Paris exposition, presented
the statue, or rather the cast, to the French
nation / think the treasurer's name Is
Reveu from Chicago. Several OF these
gentlemen were decorated because OF their
connection with the statue. Thompson.
Archbishop Ireland and Mrs Dan Manning,
as representing the Daughters of the Revo-
luton were made knights OF the Legion
OF Honor.
CIT was also bad management not to
have fixed a definite time for the sculptor
TO have finished his work This, however,
does not Justify the sculptor from post
| poning unconsionably long the completion
| of the statue. Has there been bad manage
| nent besides the cases already mentioned?
| / say yes. Why Because the school chill
| dren OF the United States and the people
| who bought Layafette half hollars, and
| The Daughters of the Revolution who
| contributed. and the other contributors
| have 81 right TO know what has become of
! their money. The children contributed $780,.
| COO or $4,000 1. forget which. Congress
| appropriated $4,000 worth of bullion to
| make Lafayette half dollars. Fifty thou
| sand OF these were made and sold at 81
| each The Daughters of the Revolution
| contributed $4,000. There were also other
| contributors. People here asking the
| question, Where Is the money? Some say
| IL Is in a Chicago bank. | hope It Is not
| in one OF Walsh's banks.
'"rhe contract for the statue is for $780,
| 600 or this sum the sculptor has received
| $1,000 / shall merely add that the i'm
| preston obtains here that the French gov
| eminent would be perfectly justified I'm
| taking back the magnificent site In the
| Place du Carrousal at the end of the
! Tuileries Gardens. I think with my COM
| pliments you ought to call President
/ Roosevelt's attention TO this disgraceful
| state of affairs in connection with the La
| fayette statue.
| You might also add that any other ma
| ton except France would have long since
lost patience with us. and be highly indig-
nani over this objectionable neglect II I