The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-26

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 The Washington Monument--tower- ing toward the stars as Washington lowered toward the gods, sublime in Its proportions as Washington was sublime in his manhood simple and unadorned as Washington was direct and honest--the Washington Monument Is 2 most appropriate token of the grati- tude of great people for the services of great man.. Yet no one looks up- on that stately shaft today would dream of the vicisitudes through which It passed during the long years from us Inception to the day when the aluminium cap. with It's graven "Laus Deo was placed on the top and the Monument was finish ed.
 sesehty-nve years ago today fin what was then the alderman's chamber of the city of Washington a company of patriotic citizens gathered to discuss proposition to erect a monument to 5eorge Washington, the Father of His country. There was already one mon- ument In the capital city.-that to general Nathaniel Greene. but Con- gress mad delayed and postponed tn c washington memorial for so long that the people had to take matters in their own hands.
 The association which was formed on September 1883 still lives and taxes great pride in the completed monument. But 1t is to be doubted if the men who first took up the work would have been so eager could tn ey nave known the obstacles they were to encounter. the scandals in which they were to be involved. and the thanklessness of the whole endeavor.
 The first movement for a monument to Washington was started long be- fore his death. even before he was president. The United States Con- gress today would not entertain for a moment a suggestion to erect monu- mont to a living man, although the Senate sets up memorial busts of living Vtce-presidents. There are two living men whose marble commercials adorn inches in the Senate chambers of the capitol.-Levi P. Morton and Adlai Stevenson. A bust of Mir. Roosevelt. another .ex-vice president, will be un- yelled soon.
 The Continental Congress In 17s3. four years before the organization of the government under It's present Con- stitution, passed a resolution providing for the erection of an equestrian statue of General Washington lat the place where. the residence of Congress shall be established" The resolution went So far as to prescribe the de- tails of the statue. It was to be of bronze. and General Washington was to be represented fin Roman dress. holding a truncheon- in his right hand and his head enctrcieda with a laurel wreath" Fortunately 9tlfe Continental Congress did not live long enough to carry out this purpose and posterity has been spared the sight of the Father of Ills Country dressed in a Roman toga astride a Virginia horse.
 The next movement was soon after General Washingtons' death when Congress. in 1900. resolved to erect a memorial mausoleum of marble in Washington city. and asked the con- sent of the late Generals family for the removal of the body to the national tomb. To this resolution Mrs. Wash ington beautifully replied:
 Taught by the great example which have so long had before me never to oppose my private wishes to the public will need not and cannot say what sacrifice of individual feeling make to sense of public duty"
 The House of Representatives at- tempted to make its resolutions good by appropriating s200,000 to build the mausoleum. but the Senate did not act on the. bill. Then came the political revolution of 1900 which brought the ultra democrats into power and ban ished every notion of monuments and pomp and glory from the capital.