Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-10-12
ABBA DOLLA ASKS
FOR RIGHT TO VOTE
William H. Black Unveils Heroic
Statue to Virtue in the Gay
Confines of the Tenderloin-The
Lady Excites All New York.

! Virtue has invaded New York's famous
tenderloin district. She is not there on
mel ely a rubber-necking tour. but is q
frigid-faced, stiff-necked fixture.
And il took an Atlanta man to COAX
Virtue into the gay confines OF the ma
tion's metropolis. William Harmon BLACK
was the man who turned the trick-none
other than VIII Black. who is known to
everyone in this city, where he was born
and reared.
Some days ago Mr.. Black unveiled a
statue dedicated to Virtue in New York
and the papers have been giving him
yards of space about 1t. Here is what the
New York World has to say of the event:
rs Virtue merely signaling for a taxi
cab or does that uplifted right arm mean
that she is firmly waving something aside
and saying: No, sir, not another single
drink tonight?' Her new and mysterious
statue suggests both things. Before leav-
ing our city after Beacon Fire Night take
one more run over to Long Acre square
and try to figure out yourself what Virtue
wants.
las the police might say OF anybody
else lost on the Great White Way. Miss
Virtue is about five feet TALL weighs about
eight tons. is very pale in complexion
and is not more than three or four days
old. She is barefooted and wears no COR
sets, but a very sensible waist and bust
may be seen from the back. She carries
what may be a shield to ward OFF knocks,
or else the top Of an umbrella. the handle
of which may have been bloN n away II
Virtue happened to pass the Flatiron on
her way uptown. That is mere conjecture
for nobody knows how she got there.
isle was unveiled In the middle Of the
square last night and now the great art
question of the Tenderloin is Why is
Virtue? or What is Virtue?' meaning.
of course, not what is the fine moral
quality OF that name-for the Tenderloin
knows all about that-but what does this
statue mean and why was IT stuck UP In
! Long Acre square after the Hudson-Ful.
ton celebration was about over? Virtue
should have been among the very earliest
arrivals.
! for the statue and it was put up by
society the president of which is viii
. liam Harmon Black. Mr.. Black thinks
, that the statue means that New York
! is a nice city"
The Chicago Record-Herald has the fol-
lowing:
WON'T STAND THE RAIN.
1.-The mystery which has been hidden by
lofty. canvas-covered tower in Times
square over the Hotel Astor was cleared
today when It developed that it served
! to shield a plaster statue of a woman
symbollzing the city, which Is being erect
| ed for the association for New York as
a protest against mudslinging and muck
| rsking.'
} 1.-The heroic figure is % feet high. mount
ed on a 27-foot pedestal. The figure lie
poised in an attitude OF defense. with the
right arm thrown back and the left bear.
ing a shield on which are the words, Our
City
This staue of Virtue will remain for
three months. William Harmon Black
| who is at the head of the association. said
| there were so tons of virtue formed of 50
barrels of above reproach plaster. the
whole to be a beautiful snow-white lady
tpyifying THAT New York isn't as black
as she's painted Mr.. Black said they
chose Longacre Square because 80 tons
of virtue was none too many for that
| fascinating part Of town.
THE only drawback is. as Mr. Black
| admits, that this virtue, being plaster,
won't stand the rain.
HE explained he and his fellow mem
/ bers of the association of New York
didn't just know whether to call the
statue The Defense of New York or
! The Defeat Of SANDER Tt looked goud
| both ways, said Mr.. Black. and picking
a first choice had come pretty nigh
breaking up the headquarters of the vir-
] tuous.'
Gotham has been much mystifed over
the white lady as the focus OF the ten,
derloin, but former Judge S. P. McCon-
nell. formerly of Chicago, throws light on
her mission with the following explana-
| ton:
THE scheme of the association was
| to present in an artistic and effective
manner a defense for our old city-some-
thing that would tell the world that we
were not the wickedest city on earth:
that our Institutions were not the most
corrupt. which is an idea that has gone
out, spread by caluminators. We had
expected TO have the beautiful work fin
ished In time for the Fulton celebration
but the municipal art commission. which
has to pass on all such things, held us
up and we were unable to get it finished
so that our million visitors could see it,