Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-23
The Lincoln Memorial.

Yesterday action by the senate on tile
Lincoln memorial question gave the mat
ter it's first formal expression. 1t lays
before the House for consideration and
concurrence three separate propositions.
The first is that February IL, 1909, shall
he proclaimed a special legal holiday for
the purpose of concentrating the CEN
tenary of Lincoln's birth. There Is no
dissent in any quarter from that sugges-
ton. The second proposition Is not so
clearly stated but its purport is plain: 1t
IS that the federal government should
construct suitable memorials to COM
memorate the public services and charac-
ter of Abraham Lincoln" 1t would have
been more satisfactory if this statement
had been made positively and independ-
emily. in the form of a distinct pledge
binding Congress to act later when plans
have been perfected. But 1t may be as
sumed that the language suffices for the
present to denote the intention of Con-
Gress to provide suitable memorial. The
third phase of the resolution relates spe-
officially to the plan to express the ma
tional appreciation Of Lincoln by means
of great highway between Washington
and Gettysburg. 1t does not definitely ap-
prove that project, merely stating that
the memorials may include" such Lin
coin Way" and appropriating $4,000 for
a survey. Thus, if the survey results In
the submission of estimates indicating
prohibitive cost Congress may drop the
subject without necessarily substituting
anything else for the highway.
This is not a satisfactory form of con-
gressional expression The houses should
at the present session, before February
l., if possible, agree upon a measure
which not only proclaims the unalterable
purpose of the government to commence
rate the services and exalt the character
of Lincoln by means of a suitable perma-
nent memorial but also provides the
means for both determining the charac-
ter of the memorial and for executing it.
a merely advisory action now will not
suffice. There are many views to be ex-
pressed in this connection. They all,
however. focus upon the one point that
Washington should be the site of the most
significant symbol of national gratitude
for Lincoln's services. If the memorial
includes a highway to Gettysburg. the
starting place in this city should be mark
ed by some architectural creation, every
bit as distinctive and inspiring as any
thing that has been proposed for either the
Capitol Hill. The resolution of Con-
gress should therefore provide for, and
not merely suggest, a grand memorial to
be erected here in Washington, whether
the Lincoln Way is added as an ap-
purtenant feature or not,
Let Congress commemorate Lincolns
birthday by enacting law which makes
certain the erection of such q memorial.
Let il relegate to a carefully constituted
official commission the question of form
and place. Let it provide generously the
funds for starting the work and pledge
itself to accept the plans drawn and
continue the appropriations for the CON-
structon. Let the memorial be located
according to the plans of the Senate park
commission or according to those who
advocate the idea of a more central en-
placement, such as between the Capitol
and the Union Station, Or elsewhere. Let
it have a highway approach binding the
seat of government with the greatest bat
tlefield of the civil war, If that Is feast
BILE. But in any case, let there be a
Lincoln memorial and let 1t be made an
assured fact by the action of this, the
Lincoln centenary Congress.