The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-12
IHARLANs LETTER TO TRlMsLE.
Woman's Figure on Soldiers and
Sailors Memorial Near Capitol
Started War Of Words.

Des Moines Register and Leader:
The lady in bronze who sits at the
base of the Iowa Soldiers and Sailors
monument with her eyes turned APP
pealingly toward the state house is
numerically scored as immodest in
letters from the late James Harlan,
former United States senator, and
other members Of the monument COM
mission that have been unearthed by
employees Of the state archives depart
ment in the top story Of the historical
building,
why former Gov. Francis M. Drake
countermanded his order for a plaster
cast Of the ctatue to adorn the halls
Of Drake university Is explained In
these letters. which bring to light a
red hot controversy between members
OF the commission as to whether or
not the draperies on the figure should
be brought up few inches further off
her lap.
Senator Harlan was the flercest
critic OF the semi-nude figure repre-,
senting Iowa" and the artist, Carl
Rohl-Smith, had his way only after
a bitter fight In which he was upheld
by D. N. Richardson, secretary of the
commission, and Mrs. Cora G. Weed,
4 of Muscatine, the only woman member.
Mr.. Smith modelled the General Sher-
man statue at Washington and was
I considered one of the foremost
i American sculptors when the Iowa
1 statue was cast In 1896.
Harlan's Letter.
A letter from Senator Harlan to
Judge H. H. Trimble OF Keokuk states
his objections to the figure with
characteristic vigor. The letter, which
was written in vain, was sent by
Judge Trimble to Governor Drake
early in the year 1897, and SO found
its way into the archives. 1t reads as
follows:
Mount Pleasant, la. Dec. 80, 1896
My dear Judge Trimble: tender
my thanks for your kind letter Of the
23d Inst. Prior to its receipt I had
been informed by Mr.. Richardson that
the commission had adopted Mrs
j Weeds motion and had accepted
Iowa" on the lines Of Mr.. Carl Roll
Smiths second model. Today have q
typewritten paper, without signature
addressed to me by name, presume
from Mr.. Richardson, telling me that
Mr.. Rohl-Smith firmly refused to con
form the model to the requirements Of
the board. and will put 1t into the
plaster as he now has 1t; and said that
Mr.. Richardson might notify the
governor and other members of the
commission of his determination"
presume similar paper has been sent
to you and each OF our associates.
Personally am willing to release
our Mr.. Rohl-Smith from his contract
to make these two models, Iowa" and
"History.' | think both OF them In
wretched bad taste as modelled ant
. proposed to be modelled by him and
) that the monument would be much
better in their absence.
In fact, cannot imagine anything
, any more inappropriate than the fig
, lure Of a nearly nude woman, tuck
/ ed up on an old fashioned pillow APP
parently painfully yearning to be re
lieved of superabundant nutriment b,
absent children, surrounded by {
squad Of soldiers, CROPPED Oh the side
q Of public street. In the open air, sub
/ ject to all sorts of weathe., unless i
is the proposition to place group o.
. two figures composed of one as neal
! like a cadaver as art can produce ant
, perfect nude boy at her knees, under
this inscription. 1.-THE patriotic worl