Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-22
THE CIJAairLNIN MEMORIAL.

| to Champaign representing New York
and Vermont had been practically set
tied. The Vermont commission had
voted by a majority vote to locate
the permanent memorial on isle La
Motto, provided thc New York COM
mission should agree on the selection
OF that site, fho understanding hav-
Ing been that the New York commits
sion were pretty sure to favor that
! location
When the timo oamc to definitely
decide tho matter. however. the con-
troversy over the subject became 40
warm among the differing members
Of the New York commission that 1t
was decided to postpone the deter
rnination Of this question until the
week of tho celebration. But tho
celebration has come and gone
and tho issue seems no near
er n settlement so far as our neigh
bors OF New York are concerned than
when the controversy started
| Some OF the members of the New
York commission favor uniting with
the Vermont commission in the cree
| ton of permanent monument to
| Cha1nplnin on Isle La Motto; others
are In favor of the erection by New
York with its own funds on It's own
soil Of q monument, to be located AT
Bluf Point, while still other members
Of tho commission are in favor of
uniting with the Vermont commission
erecting a monument Mt Split Rock.
Tho New York Times notes the fact
that numerous suggestions have been
made and that those are sure TO be
the most sensible and successful which
recognize that the memorial is to have
incidentally a utilitarian purpose that
Is. serve os a lighthouse for the lake
navigation. It also recognizes the
fact that II the monument is to be OF
any use. the monument must be To-
Gated where the lake shipping will
most need Il: secondarfly. the location
should he determined by the ccns,dera-
ZION that hs many people as possible
qhould be able to see H.
, Tho Times continues:
THE point from which the greatest
area OF the lake can be seen by day.
yr-hn
could be most widely visible at night,
is Split Rock point. That Is about
midway OF the lake north and south,
and Is within a stones throw OF the
border limo OF both States. thus giving
each an approximately equal share in
the structure erected by both. More
! over. II Is on the line Of travel, and
the water Is so deep there that the
passengers on the lake boats could
| como close enough for the inscriptions
10 be read Governor IIughess sus-
Restion. on the other hand Is a loca-
tion on -Four Brothers islands In the
middle OF the lake at its widest point
a commanding site, but open to the
| objection that 1t Is somewhat outside
tho line of travel The cities OF
| Plattsburgh. n. Y, and Burlington
Vt. are clamorous for the monument
for local reasons, but the desire of
neither seems likely to prevail
The facetious suggestion OF Pres,-
dent Taft. made during the course OF
his speech in the city park In Burling
ton to the effect that the best solution
OF the controversy over the monument
location would be the erection of n
colossus nstride the lake with ono foot
in New York and the other in YER
mont would be happy. We're IT prac-
ticable, and 1t would be more practic-
! able near the head Of the lake where
! elsewhere.
The Springfield Republican, on the
other hand, Is inclined to the opinion
that the monument should he on the
New York side Of Lake Champla,n.
The Republican says in this connec-
tion:
Lake Champaign has always seemed
moro OF Vermont than a New York
body OF water, IF one seeks the
boundary between the two states on
the map, he nnds that it leaves much
the lurgcr part of tho lake, Including
all of the large islands, on the YER
mont side Vermonters, too. have al
ways taken more interest IN II than
New Workers, for the simple reason
that 1t meant more to them New
Workers have had other lakcs-Eric
and Ontario. which they share with
Canada, not to mention the smaller
ones like Lake Oneida and Lake
George which are wholly within New
York jurisdiction. These facts fur
nish a reason. perhaps why the mon
umcnt TO Samuel de Chnmplain should
be placed on the Vermont sids Of the
boundary line; but, in the end. tho
question arises WIN. II either state
wishes to Ak the site on Its own soil,
II does not pay the whole cost Of, the
memorial.
The Barre Times sees still further
reason why the permanent men,oriai
to Champlain should be located on
tho Vermont side OF tho lake. n
says:
There Is one other reason. too. which
gives Vermont q certain priority to
tho claim for the monument That Is
the fact that Vermont was the hrst
state TO make n move toward having
u grand celebration of the tercenten-