Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1909-08-19
In HALL OF FAME

A recent Washington dispatch says:
The last vestige of the line which
formerly divided in the United States
Ill that was northern in feeling from
all that was southern will be obliterat-
ed when, at the coming session of con-
Sress, the time arrives to accept the two
statutes which the state of Virginia has
offered as her contribution to the
nations hall of fame, Statuary hall.
For, along with the statue of George
Washington, the old Dominion is offer
ing as her second choice of all her il
lustrious sons the sculptured. likeness
of Robert Edward Lee, the Knightly
commander of the armies of the lost
cause.
The story of Virginia's choice is one
of the most interesting episodes of re-
cent times, serving Us it does to show
how generous is the appreciation of
the American people for a fine charac-
ter, and how eager the nation is to for
get the bitterness of the great struggle
which once threatened to disrupt the
nnion of the states.
1t was not without some misgivings
that the legislature of Virginia decided
To offer the statue of Gen. Lee to the
nation. 1t was i'll fact, the first time
she had chosen Il statue for the hall,
for the plaster replica of Houdon's
Washington, which has long had a
place of honor in statuary hail. was
never, it now appears, offered by Vir-
Sinia, although for many years sup
posed to have been her gift. No one
has been able to find out how the
rather shabby cast of the Father of
His Country" got into the hall at all,
and it is only now that it is about to
be replaced with fine bronze copy of
the original statue by Houdon, which
stands in the rotunda of the state capi-
tol at Richmond, that inquiry has been
made.
The original statue by which con-
gress in 1916 set aside the former
chamber of the house of representa-.
tives as national statuary hall pro-
vided that each state of the union
should have the privilege of selecting
two of its deceased citizens, "Illustri.
Gus for their historic renown or for dis
tinguished civic or military services"
TO he cOmmemorated therein by their
statues in marble or bronze.
In response TO the invitation of the
statue the Virginia Legislature. Janu.
AIRY IL, 1903, passed u bill, offered by
Don. i. Halscy, providing that one of
the statues to be presented by Virginia
should be that of Gen. Robert T.. Lee.
This decision was arrived at not
without lengthy discussion and ex-
tended comment. While the bill was
under consideration some members of
the Legislature expressed the fear that
it's passage might he the occasion of a
great storm of disapproval in the north
and thereby rckindle sectional feeling.
This fear led two members of the sell
ate and seven members of the house
to vote against the bill. These votes
were for the most part cast by former
confederate soldiers, to whom the
memory of Lee was too sacred for them
to risk any possibility of hostile crit.
cism to the proposed presentation of
his statue to the nation. The two
senator's eventually realized that this
fear was not justified, and not ONLY
withdrew their opposition to the bill,
but accepted membership Oh the com
mission having tn" presentation in
charge.
When the bill was passed the discus.
Ion was ut its height and Gov. Monta-