The Washington herald., 1906-11-25
AMERICAN WOMEN HIT
Prof. Monaghan Says They
Have Bad Taste.
WASHINGTON WORK AsININE
Government OmcIa1 Declares the
Architectural scheme of the City
Has Been Ruined by Placing the
Treasury Building So Near the
White HOuse-Have Much to Learn.

American women are lacking in taste,
Americans in general lack proper appre-
citation of true art, and a bOtch has been
made of Washington's architectural beau
ties by placing the Treasury building so
near the White House, in the opinion of
Prof. J. c. Monaghan. of the Bureau OF
Manufactures. who talked on How the
Other Half Lives" before the Missouri So
ciety last night.
The professors structures came as a part
of a scathing comparison between the
culture of Americans and Italians, in
which the latter got all the praise.
Judge G. A. Levitt, president Of the
society, formally introduced Prof. Monag-
han as the speaker of the evening. The
professor, after paying a high tribute to
the various characteristics Of European
peoples, said that the assertions made by
many concerning the deterioration of the
Italian nation We're absolutely false
The Italians to-day" said the pro-
fessor ARE more highly cultivated and
more progressive than any other nation
of the world, our own country not ex-
cepted. More than this they have some
thing which we Americans cannot under
stand. a real appreciation Of true art. The
American cottage of to-day cannot be
compared with the cottages OF any Of
the enlightened European nations, least
of all the Italians.
Scores American Women.
"The American woman, when she sees
anything that momentarily pleases her
eye. buys it without any regard as to its
artistic value We men are not allowed
to have anything to say In regard to the
management Of the household. That is
left to the American woman. and at
present her taste has resulted in cot
tages looking more like gingerbread
houses than the homes Of civilized people.
Much has been said concerning the
lawlessness Of the Italians True. if they
are brought together in large cities and
among surroundings that breed vice and
crime, with their hot blood, they are
bound 10 do acts OF violence. They have
their Mafia, their Black Hand. and in
these surroundings and with these influ-
ences around them. they assassinate and
murder. But if kept away from these in
hUences they are of more value to us than
we can possibly appreciate.
Some fellow has put the Treasury d.
recty IN the path or an avenue Which was
originally designed to connect two of the
most beautiful structures ever designed
by the hand Of man, the Capitol and the
White House. Who could have imagined
a more asinine piece of work than the
hiding Of such a beautiful piece Of archi.
lecture as the White House behind an
other building. The Monument. too. is
more than 400 feet away from the place
where it was originally designed to be
placed; another piece Of architectural
folly. There are other examples Of this
need Of a truer appreciation of the higher
art too numerous to mention.
Have Much to Learn,
The Americans are a progressive race.
a very progressive race. but they have
yet much TO learn in the requirements Of
art
a year ago the gardens which my Office
borer employed on the premises. Now
they have five who are Italians. and it is
from them that we are learning the true
appreciation of the cultivation of the
flowers.
why should the fact that we are
commercial people interfere with our eat
Ing fruit and smelling flowers? There is
no adequate reason that I can see why
we cannot be taught proper apprecia-
ton Of the beauties Of nature and of art.
This side of our nature has been too long
neglected, and we owe It to ourselves TO
remedy this defect in our education"