Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-10
Tree Butchery and Hero Humiliation


4 decision to locate the Grant monu-
ment in the Botanic Garden. instead of
on the site south OF the White House or
on the Union station plaza would mean,
first tchcry. the Immediate slaugh-
ter of noble historic trees in the Botanic
Garden. and the future destruction of hun
dreds of fine forest trees within the bounds
of the proposed boulevard-vista, cut
through the center of the Mall. This crime
of tree-murder is only aggravated by the
suggestion that in place OF imposing nat
ural forest growths of decades of devel-
opment. stiff. straight rows of young
Noah's Ark trees will be planted, and that
while these are developing on lines of
greatest ugliness and before they have
matured the esthetic taste of the COM
munity may be gratified with something
equally as good in the shape of squatty,
stunted trees in tubs. arranged in geo.
.metrical designs by the most competent
architects. those. for instance. who have
produced such striking effects with tubbed
trees on the roof of the east colonnade of
the White House.
This decision would mean, second in
suis and ignominy for the memory of
Grant on the false pretense of hon.
Orins him. Instead of placing his mag
nificent memorial on some conspicuous.
honorable site. where it may be seen and
admired of all men. it would be hidden in
An obscure spot in the trees and shrub
Derry of the Botanic Garden at the foot of
Capitol Hill on the very lowest-lying
ground in the whole city. Sherman es-
capped this ignomnious fate to which his
memorial had been doomed by park COM
mission architects. Will no one with
power intervene to save Grant?
This decision would mean thirdly. that
ment of the Grant memorial in the least
degree harmonious and suitable the adj
mirers of Grant must undertake the task
of crowding the non-commissioned park
commissions plan of boulevard-yista
oown the throat of hostile House of
representatives. They must secure from
the House connivance at wholesale tree
butchery in the Mall: condemnation of the
Mall Improvement plans on natural lines
of Downing and Parsons, and approval of
Versailles Journalism, stiffness and artifi-
ciality. SO delightful to the tubbed-tree
architect: and finally large appropriations
OF money to convert the Mall from a beau
tiful wooded park of natural forest trees
and grassy stretches into an imitation,
ba stard Versailles, artificial. barren and
repellant. The task is hercuIean one;
and, If performed, can bring only discredit
and shame upon those who accomplish it.
Why deliberately slur the memory of the
nations war hero, with the result of COM
polling his admirers to resort to tree
butchery and Disagreement Of the natural
bea uties of the capitals parking system
in order to reduce to q minimum the
humiliatins conditions involved in the in
suit?
To argue the advisability of a harmoni-
Gus system of park development and pub
If building empIacement at the capital
and of the appointment of an authorized
commission to accomplish this result is an
evasion of the issue in this Immediate
connection. The Star vigorously advo-
Gated such system and such a commits
sion long before the non-commissioned
park commission began its labors. 1t CO.
operated with the non-commissioned park
commission. encouraged and assisted its
early activities and heartily applauded
certain of its acts or suggestions which
have resulted in public benefits.
But the so-called park commission is
not commissioned. authorized or authori-
tative. 1t is not infallible: and it has
erred in its treatment of the Mall No
advocate Of the greater and more beauti-
full Washington. as a city of parks and
trees. and shrubbery and flowers, is
under any compulsion to view the pro-
posed boulevard. sweeping a broad path
OF destruction like that of a tornado
through the Mall as anything but the
abomination which competent authorities
have pronounced it.