The Washington herald., 1910-06-26
BY CHARLOTTE NJ. CoNGER.


Undeterred by the melancholy and dis
couraging history Of former art COM
missions that have from time TO time
been created the present Congress has
passed a law establishing such an insti-
tuition, which is to be a permanent fea-
ture Of the government, and authorized
the President to appoint its members.
The announcement of these appoint
ments has recently been made and il is
doubtfld if seven men better fitted for
tae work intrusted to them could be
found than those whom President Taft
has chosen.
The members of the commission are
Daniel H. Burnham. of Chicago. chair
man; Frederick Law Olmstead, jr.,
Thomas Hastings, Daniel c. French
Frank D. Mlllet Cass Gilbert. and Charles
Moore. Col Spencer Cosby, superinten-
dent of public buildings and grounds. will
act as secretary OF the commission.
II will be seen that architects predom-
mate in this board which is as it
should be. for architects are trained TO
look at things en- grande, while men who
work in a more limited sphere of art
are apt 10 consider everything in rela-
ton 10 their own mediums and broad
point of view. a proper perspective, the
relation of all objects to each other are
what are required in the architecture.
Planning a City Beautiful.
The Capital, and hence the nation.
since the Capital is the nations proudest
possession. owes more to Daniel II.
Burnham than this generation will ever
come to fully realize and appreciate, for
he was the member, the dominant mem
Der. Of the commission that conceived
and developed the plan for the Mall, or
Il would. perhaps. be more exact to say.
who revived and adapted 10 modern
needs and standards, the TEnfant plan.
and to him We owe the beautiful Union
Station and the planning and laying out
of It's surroundings. When the Mall is
finished and decorated with the public
buildings that will stand In it, and the
Union Station and White House are con-
nected in the way that has been planned,
Washington will top the list of the most
beautiful cities In the world.
Mr. Burnham was born in New York,
and has taken degrees at both Harvard
and Yale, but his professional success
was made in the West. where he has
been for more than a quarter OF a cen
fury the leading architect of Chicago,
which holds many monumental evidences
OF his professional skill and fine individ-
usl taste and it was his inspiring genius
that made the Columbian Exposition an
epooh-making factor IN the history OF
art in the West.
Mcmillan Leads Influence.
No single Senator or Member Of Con-
gress ever took a deeper interest in the
artistic development Of the Capital than
did the late Senator Mcmillan, of Mich
igan, and it vas through his influence
and through his tireless inslstence that
the art commission, Of which Mr.. Burn
ham was a member. was created This
commission was short lived. having been
dissolved for some bubble or other before
il accomplished what il was created 10
accomplish, but it left its stamp on the
public works Of the day and had il done
nothing else, its agency in influencing
public opinion and raising the artistic
standard Of certain material and util-
itarian statesmen, at least was a great
one
Associated with Mr. Burnham on this
commission was Charles Moore. who is
q member OF the present commission.
Mr. Moore is an alumus Of Harvard, a
graduate of the class of 1873, q writer
of note and a discriminating critic who
knows as much about what is good and