The National tribune., 1909-05-27
BUYING MOUNT VERNON.
Opportunity Forever GOnc-Heroic Wo-
men Have Saved 1t and Mary WASH
ingtOn's Graye-Virginia Laggard.

inston's Grave-Virginia Laggard.
For a year or two past we have heard
good deal about the disgrace of hav-
ing to pay to see the home of the Faith
er of His Country, and lots of very we'll
meaning people have expressed their
disgust of such a proceeding thru the
press. They have said that the Govern
ment must buy Mount Vernon. and
throw it open to the public. and now
Virginia is getting very uppish. and de-
claring that Mount Vernon ought to
belong to that State OF course, all
this sounds very funny. indeed. to any
body who knows about Mount Vernon.
and knows how tremendously interest
eG'' Virginia has always been in the
graves and homes of her distinguished
people. For instance, the grave of the
mother of Washington became hog
lot about 35 years ago. and there was
not q single citizen of the State Of Vir-
ginia who came forward with PROPOSE
ton to put even a picket fence around
it. On the ground where it had lain
for 40 years or more. was a marble col
umn which a patriotic Yankee had
started to erect over the grave, but he
died, and the marble shaft lay prone
where it had fallen for lack of little
fixing at needed time. The people
who owned the place, once the property
of Mary Ball, sold it, and finally it was
offered at auction to the highest bidder.
For sale, the grave Of the mother of
Washington" Think of that, will you;
and this in the State which boasts Of
being the birthplace of the great Wash
ington. =
Did Virginia buy 1t in?
No, indeedy!
Virginia went right straight along
about her own little business. and the
grave of Mary Ball Washington was
bought up by an association of women,
most of them from the North, where
they have grit enough to begin and push
things to a conclusion. The President
was Mrs. Mary Waite, wife of the form
er Chief Justice. These women buiided
a monument which will stand for al;
time, and have provided for its care.
But Virginia, as State, has no part In
1t. Virginia would like to swipe all the
honors now, however.
And now about Mount Vernon. Gen.
Charles Frederick Manderson, formerly
United States Senators from; Nebraska,
scouts the idea Of the Government or
Virginia trying to get,hoId Of the estate
now. Mrs. Manderson is Regent Of
Mount Vernon for Nebraska, and the
Mandersons have been spending q day
or two in the old house Senator Man
derson says:
Mount Vernon as II stands to-day is
an undisputabIe argument in favor Of
the splendid business capacities and
self-sacrificing patriotism Of flthe women
of this country. To- seriously discuss
the matter OF buying, Motht Vernon
and taking its manassinent out Of the
hands OF the women who bought 1t is
not only the hight Of folly. put ingrati-
tude ITSELF o~.~' u
About IS years ago Mis- Anne Pa
mela Cunningham. OF South Carolina,
q cripple, made a trip 70 Mount Vernon
to confer with John Augustine wash
ington about the sale of tho place.
Washington offered the place to the
made inquiries whether the United
States cared; to purchase the place for
that amount. There was no offer or in.
to buy from either. Miss Cum
ningham proposed to Mr.. Washington
that the women OF the United States
wanted to buy the place for 5000, 900,
but Washington placed little confidence
in the offer. Miss Cunningham, miss
ing the boat to return to Washington,
was obliged to spend the night in Mount
Vernon. She made the best use of the
evening to convince Mr.. Washington
that the women of America would nav
100000, and before morning came the
bargain was closed. Edward Everett
gave lectures for the project, and $T0,-
600 was turned over to the women for
the purpose. A number of the ladies
have spent large sums OF money out of
their own private purses to keep the
place in repair or buy Washington rel
les. Mrs. Phoebe Hearst herself has
spent $4,000 in building the sea wall.
The women of this country have res
cued the place from ruin and desoIat;on
and have kept it and beautifieG it, and
have made it possible that posterity may
see where Washington lived and died
The women have managed this enter
prise for so years. There has never
been any scandal or suspicion of dis
honest management.
Now, tell me. why should the Gov
ernment or Virginia buy the place now,
when they declined to buy 1t when it
was offered to them? The person who
objects to paying 25 cents to visit the
place where the Father of His Country
lived and died, cannot be a good pa
triot. Instead of agitating the purchase
OF Mount Vernon. the Nation owes to
those ladies vote of thanks and deep
appreciation"