Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-27
STATEMENT N GEN. 0REN-
VILE II. DODGE.
To the Editor d The Star:

by the Grant memorial commission
me Grant memorial was Rrst located
IN the Botanic Gardens In 1903. under the
act Of Congress approved February 20,
1901. by the Honorable Secretary Of War.
Ehhu Root. Senator George Peabody Wet
more chairman OF the joint library COM
War Hon. William H. Taft became a mem
Der OF the commission that location was
confirmed. That law provides In section 9
THAT said commission Is authorized to
se.ect any unoccupied square or reserva-
ton belonging to the government, or
part thereof, in the District of Columbia,
except the grounds of the Capitol and
Library of Congress-, in which to. erect
the said statue
This location was well known by. the
public and Congress. and the selection
was generally approved. The, memorial
was staked out in 1905 on the ground so
that 1t could be seen, and was, visited by
many people. and, SO far as 1 know. no
objection was ever made to it, Neither
the Senate park commission. nor the COM
mission of experts, took any part in this
selection, nor were they consulted, SO far
as 1 know. in relation to it. 1t certa My
| was not selected with view of promot-
| ing or carrying out the Senate park COM
mission pans, but because it was the
best and most appropriate site for a
| great memorial commemorative of SO
distinguished a solder and President as
Gen. Grant.
1 Hell tic cOHiuilSSlON III asked
| the appropriation committee of the Sen
| ate for $4,000 for use that year. it was
| suggested that the Botanic Gardens were
under the jurisdiction of Congress, and
| to avoid any question as to the legality
| of the location, there was added to the
| appropriation this clause:
| Provided. that the memorial may be To-
| Gated In the unoccupied portion Of the
Botanic Garden grounds between LIST and
I'd streets, as recommended by the Grant
/ onYron tScin
When We were ready to commence work
| on the foundations of the memorial, Col.
Charles s. Bromweil, superintendent of
public buildings and grounds, who had
| charge of the work, suggested to the
commission that experts be invited to de-
| termine the exact location Of the me-
| mortal. the elevation to be given it and
| the treatment to be accorded the grounds
| Immediately around it. His suggestion
| was approved. and he invited to advise
P. Casey. the sculptor ana architect of
the memorial: also Mr.. Frederick Law
Olmstead, the landscape architect; also
Mr. Charles F. McKim. the architect.
These experts made no change in the To-
| cation. They did. however, make certain
recommendations relating to the height
and general treatment of the memorial
| to better fit 1t to the location, which the
commission approved.
The Senate park commission plans in
clude the Botanic Gardens and the Grant
memorial in its location Is made to &C.
cord with them. SO that if they are car
ried out In the future the memorial will
not become an obstruction, and will not
require any change in order to agree
with the plan. and this is the only rela-
tion We have to the Senate park commits
| sion plan.
When the objection was made to the To-
| cation on account Of it's interfering with
the three trees, at the suggestion of the
| acting secretary of war l requested the
expert commission to meet me in Wash
ington to see what could be done to save
| theS tees. and they unanimously decided
that the trees could be removed and re-
planted and saved. Mr.. Olmstead stating
that it could be successfully done, and
that it would be beneficial to the social I'd
'Crittenden" tree. which. 1t was plain to
see, was unhealthy. as fungus is growing
on It's limbs But. it seems that the three
trees are not the real objection to the
| location of the memorial, but have been
used simply to create a sentiment to en-
able those interested to carry out another
| project.
| The Grant memorial commission has
| received no protest against the location
Of the memorial in the Botanic Gardens
but 1t has received, not only from Or
ganizations and citizens of Washington.
>ut from all over the country, many
| protests against its removal. and espe-
| cially from the veterans Of the civil war
who inaugurated the movement for and
procured the passage Of the act authoriz-
ing the building OF the Grant memorial.
GRENVILLE N. DODGE
| Chairman Grant Memorial Commission.
Gen. Dodge must certainly be mistaken
when he states that the veterans Of the
civil war are protesting against the re-
moval OF the Grant memorial site from
the position where It has been placed in
the Botanic Garden. II the war yete-
| rams are aware that the cemmission have
located the monument to their great cap
| tain In a most dishonorabie position in .
| swamp over Q shaking quasmire. on the
lowest ground In me city. scarcely above
tide-water level. where It 10 completely
lost to view, white the monuments Of all
the other distinguished soldiers and
statesmen who have been honored by me-
| MORALS have been placed on high ground
In conspicuous positions-k they have
knowledge Of these facts 1t Is incredible
that they should enter a protest against
the removal Of the Grant memorial to q
site more honorable and worthy Of their
great leader.
The noble monument to Gen. Grant, the
work OF Henry NJ. Shrady, the sculptor,
and Edward p. Casey. the architect. will
undoubtedly rank as the finest memorial
structure ever erected In Washington, IL
not in the country. It's magnificent pro-
portions are presented on q terrace ESQ
feet in length. with a superbly modelled
and thoroughly characteristic equestrian
statue Of Gen. Grant as the center figure;
and the ends are occupied by wonderfully
effective and spirited groups Of cavalry
and artillery going into action.
From It's proportions and the elaborate
character of its details 1t imperatively de-
mands a position on elevated ground.
| where It can be seen from various points
Of view, and in the line Of commanding
vistas, as is the case with all the
other memorials mentioned.
Gen. Dodge greatly undertakes the intel
ligence and the patriotic spirit Of the
American people II he thinks they will be
content to have this grand memorial of
the nations great soldier placed in this
obscure ignoble position. where 1t will be
as utterly out of sight as IL it had been
planted on the fats Of the Anacostia.
In conclusion. The Star reiterates its
charge that the Shiny. disreputable trick
by which somebody, acting in the inter-
ests of the so-called self-appointed con-
Observation-Disclosures park commits
, sion," succeeded, In open defiance of the
act of Congress restricting the monument
site to ''unoccupied ground" in the Bo-
tanic Garden. in placing It on ground