Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-07

the TeQuiSlte REMINDS Oh II
neighbor of mine. Mr.. Thomas W. Law
son. who did something that engaged the
attention Of one of the Russian grand
dukes. and this Russian grand duke wish
ed to show MI. lawson courtesy. and SO
he sent him to Boston fine specimen of
a young polar bear and notified him that
it would arrive at certain time.
'One day Mr.. Lawson looked out of his
office window and saw the streets block
AIDED in every direction, and monstrous
polar bear engaging the attention of all
the boys in that section of the city. The
streets were blockaded and the crowd
rapidly increasing. He realized that he
had something colossal upon his hands.
He set men to work upon the telephones
to find some place to put the bear. and
then he sent out word. For heavens sake
keep him moving until I can find a place
to put him in 0aughter) 1t was on
that theory that the Grant memorial was
located in the Botanic Garden.
Site Wholly Unsuitable.
Il do not think that is location that
should be given to perhaps the greatest
general who has ever commanded the
armies of the republic. 1t is almost the
lowest land in the District of Columbia
1t is used for a purpose quite out OF
keeping with having a monument. there
and it will either require the ultimate eX-
t1nction of that garden or the memorial
will have surroundings that most in
congruous.
Now. let me say one word as to the
garden We all know tn" superintend
ent. that old Scotchman who has so nobly
done his duty there for nearly sixty years.
W. r. Smith 1t does not pretend to be
national garden. With the Department
of Agriculture conducting experiments.
either directly or through the different
state boards. in every state of the Union.
and which has every natural variety of
climate and soil. do not want ma
xl.;,~
expense artificially. But this garden is OF
great use to the country and to members
of Congress.
I'VE are given each year two or three
boxes of plants. and there are hundreds
OF thousands of trees and rare plants
growing in different parts of the country
as result of that work. They are grow
ing in every congressional district of
cost of maintaing that garden is very
little more than the cost of maintaining
the hothouses in connection with the ex-
ecutive department. This garden is pecu-
!iarly for the use Of members of Congress.
just as those lighthouses are peculiarly for
the use of the executive department.
The Crittenden Oak.
Then. Mr.. Speaker there is the Crit
tenden oak. l know it is said that that
oak was not planted in accordance with an
act of Congress, and that in order to
make tree historical there should be
some form of legal action in connection
with it: but it was planted there by one
OF the greatest men of this country, SEN
ator Crittenden of Kentucky. planted es- |
pecially to commemorate those famous
and well-meant but not successful efforts |
associated with his name-to preserve the |
Union without a war between the states )
1t has grown up there into a beautiful |
tree, but under contract which has been |
made for Its removal the soil is complete |
~ g1rdled thirty feet from it's base and |
they are simply awaiting the action of |
this House to see whether they shall re-
move 1t entirely and possibly destroy it, |
Now. 1 think that oak is more Of a |
monument to peace than this memorial |
which in all its bulk and throughout its |
whole $50 feet of longitude breathes OF
nothing but war. That tree will be a bet
ter monument to the cause for which |
Grant fought than the memorial it is
proposed TO erect
Criticism of the Memorial.
Now. Mr.. Speaker. l should hope that !
If the pending resolution, which was in
troduced by my friend from Illinois, Mr. |
Mann. were adopted. and if the memorial |
was ordered to be put upon the site for
which 1t was designed. forces might be
put in motion which would result in pro-
duclng monument to Grant upon pos
slbly another location. which would speak
OF MN not merely as soldier. but also |
as man and statesman. Take that |
battery OF cannon, the troop of soldie-y |
the who.e structure: it speaks of war
There is nothing to indicate that he
was ever for eight years the chief mag
istrate at most important period in the
country's history. There is nothing there
to indicate that it was under his ad- |
ministration that the first great step was
taken In the cause of International peace |
and that the Geneva tribunal was estab- |
Inn arly
pathway toward the peaceably settling of |
differences and toward doing |
away with the arbitrament Of war. 1t |
does not recall in any degree those mag |
of his victories-'Let us have peace or |
those other words. when he said to the |
heroes who were srrrendering to him |
Keep your horses, boys. you will need |
them for your spring blowing CAP |
plause)
Il say that such memorial does no |
credit to Gen Grant and / care not |
whether II has been passed upon by fifty |
Secretaries of War o" fifty commissions |
can not give my consent as member |
of the House of Representatives to have |
such memorial sanctioned and placed |
In the location in which it is proposed it |
shall be paced. (Applause.)
1T is undoubtedly true that contracts |
have been made. and, think the govern |
ment might have to pay damages if the
work did not go on elsewhere under these
contracts. l do not care whether 1t is |
true or not when Congress has it's at |
tention called to this matter. it should do |
the right thing. regardless of little claim |
for damages" 1
Tribute to Supt. Smith.
Representative Douglass of Ohio was |
the next speaker.
II yield to no man." said he. "in !
reverence for the name of Ulysses s. |
Grant. This matter has come to me to-
day most unexpectedly, but would con-
slider myself derelict if did not plead for |
the cause that the gentleman from Mas |
sachusetts has pleaded for.
1T Is our sentiments. after all. that |
move us most. appeal as we will to our |
reason. 1t is sentiment with me that |
eompels me to arise and to speak for |
these two minutes in behalf Of this bill |
For many years / have cherished the |
kindIiest regard for that venerable old |
gentleman who makes his home in the |
Botanic Garden. and who has made it !
there for fifty-odd years. The destruction
of this garden. for that is what it Is |
means almost death. He has dwelt upon
this matter: he has worried sadly over it =; |
he has appealed to members of Congress
about it until it has become almost a
matter with him of life and death.
who is this man that 1t is proposed to
wound willfully by the location of the !
memorial in the garden and by tearing up |
the ground and tearing down the trees
he has planted: trees which he has cher |
ished with all that love he is capable of |
feeling? He is man that has done more |