Evening star., 1908-01-13
NO ACTION YET TAKEN
Hearing on Question Of Grant
Statue Site.
REASON FOR SELECTING IT
Memorial Commission Before House
Library Committee.
SECRETARY TAFT'S STATEMENT
Representative Sherley Argues in
Favor Of Preserving Historic
Trees in Botanic Garden.

At three-hOur hearing before the |
library committee of the House this morn |
ing arguments were heard on the Sherley |,
bill to prevent the. removal or destruction |
of historic trees in the Botanic Garden
through the location there OF the Grant |
memorial statue. Representative Sherley |
spoke i'm favor of his bill. while Gen |
Grenville NJ Dodge, president OF the Grant |
memorial statue commission. Frederick !
Law Olmsted OF Boston. landscape iarchi- |
tect and member of the advisory board |
of the commission: Secretary of War Taft |
and Representative Walter Smith of Iowa
urged the committee to discOuntenance !
any attempt TO bring about change OF
site.
The feature of the hearing was the dec
laration by Secretary Taft. Gen. Dodge
and Mr.. Olmsted that the main reason
the Grant memorial statue site had been
located in the Botanic Garden was that ii
conformed to the plans of the park COM
mission.
The committee adjourned shortly after
! o'clock and met again al 2:N. when
the hearing was resumed.
Those in favor of the retention of the
present site brought forward expert tes-
timony. II. II. Hicks of New York. an
expert in the moving of trees. testified
that he would be willing 10 undertake
the removal of the Crittenden. Beck and
Shepherd trees under a guarantee that
the operation would te successful. He
said the chances for aYsuccessful trans
planting were 10 out u 100
No action was taken, as number of
those who favor a change from the site
selected by the commission were not in
attendance uoon the hearing Mr.. Smith.
superintendent of the Botanic Garden.
was not present today to give his views.
and as 1t is considered essential that an
expression of opinion be obtained from
him. it is Drobab BILE that the hearing will
not be finished for some days.
Mr.. Sherley Urges Another Site.
Representative Sherley of Kentucky, au-
thor of the proposed amendment to the
sundry civil bill appropriating for the
Grant memorial. but limiting Its location
to ground unoccupied by the historic trees
in question. told the committee that his
measure spoke for itself. The point OF
controversy turned entirely upon the ques-
ton of the site selected. He was sure that
no one misunderstanding he did MOTTO
delay the erection of the Grant memorial
but he did think that satisfa ctory and
suitable site could be selected which did
not involve the destruction of historic
trees. that in themselves were living mon
uments. He suggested that even IL a site
In the Botanic Garden were finally decided
upon there was still no reason for loca ting
1t in this particular spot. He disliked ex-
iceed1ngly to see any trees destroyed There
were too few Of them at that But more
particularly did it grieve him to see trees
destroyed which had a particular senti-
mental or historic interest or associations
Representative Smith of Iowa, who Is
much opposed to any change in the Site
next addressed the committee. Proceed
ing somewhat sarcastically. Mr. Smith
said he regretted to proceed with the COM
missions side of the case without any
showing on the other side
I'VE claim, he said, that there are
no historic trees in the Botanic Garden
In the proper sense of the word. and very
naturally We wanted to hear what the
opposition had to say about it,
Then the chairman of the committee
looked around for Supt Smith OF the
Botanic Garden but he had not arrived
Proceeding, Mr.. Smith declared that
the present site in the Botanic Garden
had been selected by the Grant memorial
commission in 1903. He reviewed briefly
the history of the commission. stating
that 1t was created in 1901 and authorized
to locate the memorial on unoccupied
public ground The first site selected was
the circle back of the White House, but
this was objected to by the President
and others, and 1t was then decided to To-
cate II on THE present site. But this
decision was not reached until afte- the
District Commissioners had refused to
permit the commission to locate the me-
mortal in the Union station plaza Mr.
Smith did not know why the Commits
sloners had declined to hear this sug-
gestion. except that they had other views
for the plaza.
1t was shortly after the site in the Ro-
TAME Garden had been selected. Mr.
Smith said, that the question arose as
to whether the Botanic Garden was part
of the Capitol grounds.
Right Given by Congress.
we claim that from 1901 this commits
sion had the right to locate this memorial
in the Botanic Garden said Mr. Smith.
But we thought it just asg well, in order
that there might not be any question
about the matter. to ask Congress for the
express right TO locate in the Botanic
Garden. which we did, and Congress
gave us the necessary authorization. At
the time the law passed Congress this
site wac staked out. We claim that the
law passed by Congress giving us this
express right actually did not change ex-
listing law.
Then ensued brief colloquy between
Representatives Sherley and Smith as to
the legal meaning of "unoccupied
ground Mr.. Smith finally said that he
did not consider-and in all the instances
he could think Of the law did not con-
sider-that ground was occupied by |
trees within the meaning aof the law |
Continuing his remarks about the Botanic
Garden. Mr.. Smith characterized the place |
as unsightly and insisted If botanic gar |
den was desired. it would be we'll to have |
one that was adequate.
Mr.. Smith then called attention to !
provision of law of March 3. 1899. pro- |
viding that before January I. 1903 the |
fence around the Botanic Garden should |
be removed and furtner providing that
the joint committee on the library pre-
pare plans for the removal OF the entire |
Botanic Garden to some other site.
SO nine years ago." said Mr. Smith, |
Congress declared its purpose Ia remove |
the Botanic Garden elsewhere. In other |
words. this is but temporary botanic |
garden.
Gen. Dodge's Statement.
Gen. G. Nj. Dodge. president Of the
Grant memorial commission, who next
took the floor declared that all the menu
bers of the commission considered the
original act authorizing selection of site |
as ample and adequate to cover the Sc
lection bf the site in the Botanic Garden.
But" he said. lin order to do nothing
out OF accord with the possible ideas OF
Congress on the subject. secured the
CONTINUED on Fifteenth Page.)