Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-08

Tho Artist Art has been. and is. my
| Pleads for very life. 1t gives me ell
American Artny JOY. 1t IL simply for
arts sake that l speak
TO the home OF my adoption, America.
Mr. Shaw, OK Secretary OF the treasury,
stated a few weeks ago that the pro-
ducts OF the United states, this year,
amounted to the stupendous sum OF
over twenty-six billions of dollars Al
most beyond compehensionl Certeinly
| this country Is now the greatest ana
| richest IN all the world. But alasl
What OF Americas artP A national art
| Railery-it has monet A national school
| OF painting--it has uonol A national
conservatory OF music or dramatic art
lit has none! A national school of
| sculpture--it has none, What con-
temptation! What n burning shame!
For patriotic Americans, In the true
sense of the word, to realize that not
| wlthstanding we have the greatest and
| richest country on earth, yet in art
| OF the brush of the chisel, and OF song,
America is probably below most OF the
poorest countries OF the world. When
we reject that in this, the richest ana
greatest country on earth, there Is not
one national institution OF art in which
inc young Americans Of both sexes,
rich or poor, can secure free art odu-
cation, 1t makes the lover of art blush
with shamel European nations, through
their art Cat our expense) enjoy i'm
inense revenues aud profits from tho
American people which ought to be ex
pended and enjoyed ut home. And these
same European nations are wondering
why everything except art is encour-
aged IN the United States. When we
read and wonder, and the whole world
reads and wonders, at our cascade of
billions of annual wealth. Is it not
time for the American press to give
TINS subject the consideration it de-
serves and begin campaign IN favor
of national art Institutions? After liv-
ing eighteen years In this country and
having learned to love it's Institutions
ana its people, | have found that Amer
lcan men and women are as much in
love with art as are the brightest in
Europe. National art institutions would
surely place the United States in the
'front.' rank with her composers, paint
erS, sculptors, mad her dramtic artists
But America never can hope to occupy
us place in art unless II generously in
Vites and encourages the DEVELOPMENT
OF genius. The sooner the American
people realize that it is not the cease
less, unique thought Of making dollars
that makes a country great, the better.
For country's greatness does not lie
IN its wealth measured In dollars. No,
by all means! 1t lies In the exalted
character Of its citizenship. 1t has nl-
ways been and viii always be through
its great artists and the more there
are' tne greater the country is In the
eyes OF the world and posterity. In
nehaf of American art and its future
history, L plead with the great Amer
lean press to impress upon our Govern
ment the necessity of founding national
art schools, in order that the elevatIng
Lessons evolving from art may broaden
the minds of the people to higher ideals
H..
velopment of that noblest of all feel
lngs. Patriotism. Paul de Longpre in
Review of Reviews.
Panama Canal Bronzed and muscu-
10 he Rapidly lar. like most Ameri-
Competed. cans who work on the
Panama Canal, and
retain their health, Lieutenant Colonel
George w. Cocktails, chief engineer of
the canal commission, has spent busy
month in Washington. Boston and 9TH
er parts of the country, looking up de-
tails in reference to his work 1t
makes one feel like throwing his hat
in the air and hurrahing TO know that
in January, 1908, 100000 cubic yards
were excavated; for the best results
anticipated u year ago was not over
million yards. The work on the Gatun
Dam is progressing, and the concrete
for the lock walls Will be laid early
y
Pedro Miguel Lock is being pushed
vigorously. Everything is going
swimmingly, and with sanitary condi-
lions still improving, the Panama
canal seems very hopefully on the
way TO rapid completion. 1t is, how
ever, more than mere engineering
feat, for it is furnishing illustrations
in sociological development, In the
modes of handling an army of 10000
men 5000 of whom are skilled Ameri-
cans and 1000 laborers from North
Spain and Italy, and the rest negro
labor from the West Indies They are
all well-housed and well-fed. and all
alike express regret that 1915 VIII
come too soon to witness the compile
ton Of the greatest canal known I'm all
time. Colonel Goethals inspected the
Charles River dam in Boston, and was
especially interested in the rolling lock
gate, which may be adopted in pana-
ma. 1t is likely that during the win
ter large number of congressional
parties will visit the canal and keep in
touch with the work. The esprit de
corps of the canal workers is marvel
to all engaged in other industrial un-
dertalSings; they seem to realize that
they are not only working for wages.
but doing something to be recognized
az patriotic service In the years to
come. This is distinction that no or
binary work would confer. In fact,
there is a sort of free masonry among
the people who have even visited or
looked upon the Panama canal. Those