Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-13
ART AND A ROMAN HOLIDAY.
Proposed Demolition of Historic
Buildings on Piazza Colonna.

From the New York Sun.
However much we may regret to see
the monuments of the past disappear,
it is unreasonable to expect that a
people, which is eager to demonstrate
that it is alive and wide awake and
equal in every respect to other modern
nations will permit them to stand in
the way of what it regards as progress
The new Italy wishes naturally to
exist in the present and declines to be
regarded as n museum OF art which
the rest of the world may visit and
which must be preserved intact 1t
has shown a rather exaggerated desire
for innovations and for the assertion
of its nodernity. that has often made
the admirers Of its beauty and art
shudder: sometimes with the excuse of
public utility. as in the flling-up of the
canals of Venice, or the railroad UP
Eesuvius, the trolieys on the lovely
drive from Castellamare TO Sorrento.
but often apparently in pure defiance
of tradition and OF taste. as in the
setting UP of barba rous monuments to
Victor Emmanuel and Cavour and the
rest on historic sites which they. only
distigure.
For Rome in particular it is difficult
for the antiquarian to plead Rome is
the epitome of the history of Europe: If
all that is worthy of preservation should
be retained there would be no room in
the older city for its living inhabitants.
Every stone in it. from the walls of
the renaissance popes, and even their
seventeenth century successors. is pre-
cious to the archeologist, the historian
and the art lover. 1t demonstrates as
no other city does that the vandals of
one age are the creators of another; an
argument that is carried to extremes
by the Romans of today, the most
destructive vandals the Eternal City
thing that they may widen their streets,
broaden their squares, put iup tall
buildings with modern improvements,
and give Rome the esthetlc charm OF
Berlin or Chicago.
There is renewed outbreak of the
spirit of progress just now because
Rome is preparing to celebrate in 1911
the fffteth anniversary of United Italy
and the fortieth of the proclamation
of Rome as the capital. The form. as
a matter of course, viii be that of an
International exhibition, and plans are
made for the erection of new buildings
in all parts of the city. The socialist
syndic of Rome Signor Nathan. who in
clerical circles Is looked upon as some
thing very like the beast in the Apoca-
lypse, with a republican and socialist
city council to back him, has started
a very pretty row to begin with. He
Piazza Colonna by the removal of
historical buildings abutting on 1t. and
that he would connect the three palaces
on the CapitoIfne Hill by building new
wings Italy has a national council of
arts which has a certain jurisdiction
over the treatment of public monu-
ments. This vetoed both plans. sar-
castically suggesting that Signor Ma
than should find an architect equal
to Michelangelo before tampering with
his work. The mayor In answer expressed
his contempt for the council, declared
it was meddling with what was none of
its business, and asserted that he would
do as lie pleased: Those three palaces
shall be Joined together. and the more
the higher council says wade retro
Satanas the further Satan shall ad-
vance.