The Washington herald., 1907-08-08
AT THE HOTELS.


loved him as loved my father. and his
death has left me In a hopeless state OF
regret"
This tribute was paid the dead sculptor
by bis friend and successor to the toga OF
Americas greatest sculptor. Frederick
Macmonnies. at the Arlington last night
Plainly affected by the mention Of the
name Of his master. Mr.. Macmonnies did
not care 70 dwell at length on the subject
but turned to a talk OF other things. but
he constantly reverted 10 st. Caudens.
Ar. Macmonnies has come TO America
from Paris on a visit to MS mother. who
Is not IN good health. and his stay here
viii be determined by her condition.
1T was ST. Gaudens who helped me 70
secure the commission for the Worlds
Fair group. the LAGOON, In fact he gave
me the commission although I and many
Of our mutual friends told him that Il was
the opportunity Of his life He refused
10 do II, saying that my enthusiasm would
bring better results and, although I know
he would have eXcelled himself in that
work, he never regretted having allowed
me 10 do IT, As 20 his work appropriate
criticism Is lacking. He was a genius
and had the energy to get the best out Of
himself. There are few men alive who
can even be placed in his class. and none
are superior 10 him As a teacher he was
ideal. and all things considered, I think
MIN one Of the greatest sculptors IN his
tory.
! have just completed work that has
been my ambition for years, that was the
subject Of many studies while I was
beginner-the group Of Peace and War.
My companions and myself IN the early
days were accustomed 10 talk about war
and say that IL was old-fashioned and
should be abolished, and these CONVERSE
lions led me TO complete a group sug-
gesttye Of the abolition OF war, which I
hope TO have accepted by The Hague
Peace Conference. It IS the best thing I
have done.
You ask me whether am an American
sculptor. am, and a most patriotic one,
and my hope Is that soon I shall be able
10 live IN America and work entirely in
America. But I am studying now and i'm
proving. and abroad I find the fullest op-
portunities for development Even had I
stayed in America ! doubt whether could
have done more for American sculpture,
for, without undue vanity. several others
and myself have succeeded in killing that
prejudice against American work which
found rampant when I first studied in
Paris. The American student row has
an established position. and has only 20
maintain where in former days he had the
greatest difficulty In having his work rec
ognized- Thanks 10 St Gaudens I was
equipped and ready to DO work when I
went 10 Paris. I am patriotic and an
American. and my fOndest hope IS 20 be
recognized as such Such man was
whistler. and we have many others 20 be
proud Of American art is in the forefront
now, and viii continue 10 be so as long as
Americans are patriots"
Henry Bennett. an Engllshman, VINO
emigrated TO Spain In his youth and has
become the owner Of an immense mining
company near Seville. stopped off in
Washington, az the New Willard. yester-
day on MS way 70 New York He has
made a prolonged and extensive tour
through the United States. and as it is
his first visit he took an active interest in
conditions in different sections.
''The curse Of this country" Mr. Ben
nett said last night, is the labor unions.
You may not see Il now, they are too
close 10 YOU, but from my perspective 1
can plainly determine that within FIVE
years they viii be a most serious and
threatening national question Condi-
tons will be such that stop will have
10 be put to the high-handed attitude
which the labor leaders are taking. 4
crisis will come, and after that the stu
alton will be improved. for my judgment
OF the American people IS that they will
see that labor unions as they are being
carried on now are contrary 10 the spirit
OF the American Constitution.
"In san Francisco the conditions are ap-
palling The city IS az a standstiu IN
New York men cannot have a house built
unless they allow the labor unions 10 buy
their material and choose the builder.
Here IN Washington the situation Is not
at all bad, because the labor element is
not strong. but even small as il is. the
town has been in a continual ferment The
great hope OF the nation in event OF a
crisis will be that the unions are not rich.
and that is a blessing, for sooner or later
there VIII be a great conflict. not between
capital and labor, but between the United
States, as a nation. and the labor leaders
Of this country.
In Spain conditions are almost as bad,
but in q different way There is no
money either for capital or labor, and,
although conditions are improving. the
peasant iaborers never earn a dollar a
day, and their diet Is bread and olives.
There are too many in Spain who live
without working, the government has too
many expenses for the support OF SOL
diers, sailors, and priests. and as a con
sequence the people are taxed in a mar
ner which fOrbids surplus for any one"
Fresh from the scene OF battle IN Ohio,
Richard AfcCarty came 20 the Raleigh
last night on business as an attorney and
to visit jamestown. He styles himself an
Independent Democrat, and is az out
and-out Taft man. IN discussing the stu
alton in Ohio Mr.. McCarty said:
Foraker is not so strong at present as
he was before his position on the Hep
burn bill or on the Brownsville question.
His latter attitude has undoubtedly gained
him the support of the negroes, but he
has, in my opinion, lost considerable pres
tige among the whites. The Democrats
have an excellent opportunity this year
with the Republican forces split. their
chances for carrying the State are better
now than they have been for some time,
but do not believe that Bryan can sue
coed there against any man the RepUb-
licans put up. There are many others
Ike myself who would UNNECESSARILY pre-
fer Taft to Bryan. and what the Secre-
tary of War. might lose by his fight with
Foraker ne wopd be certain to gain
from the Independent vote,
las to a Democratic candidate. ] do
not see anyone in sight who can I'll the
bill Gray cannot, and Olney, a favorite
Of mine, is too old. There is one man
In Ohio whom I would like 10 see more
before the national public in the same
light that he appears TO Ohioans, and
that is Judson Harmon. of Cincinnati.
r-l,n 1cnuId 70 my mind make an idol