El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-01-15
THE STATUE OF LEE
CONTROVERSY OVER IT'S LOCATION IN CAPITOL.
F7 !,
EXT Wednesday being the ami

p 1 EXT Wednesday being the ami
~ versary of the birth of Gen.
Robert Z. Lee, Ii was the orig
inaI intention of those interested in
placing the statue of the great COM
mander in the statuary hail OF the
United States capital, to have the for
NAL presentation take place on that date.
But the adverse criticism heard in some
places will result In a pOstpOnement or
the date of formal presentation at least
TO February %, the birthday of Wash
ington, and perhaps indefinitely. 1t IS
said to be the wish of the family OF
Gen. Lee that no formal presentation be
extended SO long as there is serious OBJ
lection to its reception from any quar-
ter
If, in Difference to these objections, the
presentation ceremonies shall be post
poned indefinitely, the effect will be
farther reaching than the Lee contro-
Fersy, for the reason that the state of
Virginia Is also presenting a magnifi-
cent bronze Of Washington, and the
country Will be treated to the spectacle
of statue OF the Father of His Country
standing in the statuary hall without
formal reception 1t would be an un-
fortunate situation, but not a really
serious one, because the statue is there
by law The formal presentation cere-
monies are but the frilIs and furbelows.
presence of the statues legal. As Vir-
ginia congressman of long service and
deliberate judgment has said: The
statues or Washington and Lee are there
by law, the letter of which has been
complied with, and nothing but a spe-
cific act of congress, or an act Of van
dalism can get them out"
States Can Make Choice
The law under which these gifts are
presented Oh
after the wings Of the capitol were built
and the house vacated what is now statu-
airy hall. In order TO create national
Valhalla, congress set apart this room
and provided that each state should be
entitled to send thereto the statues OF the
two deceased persons whom it might Sc
lect.
1t will be observed that the choice
rests with the state itself, and that the
only conditions are that the effigies
shall represent the dead and those who
are deemed most worthy of the honor.
There Is nothing set forth concerning
congressional approval, or authorizing
any tribunal TO question the choice of a
state John Brown might be even more
Objectionable to Virginia than Lee is to
Kansas, yet neither has the right to con-
test the choice of the other.
When the statues are placed in posi-
ton that ends all the necessary formal
tiles When the one of father Marquette
the Jesuit explorer. was presented by
the state of Wisconsin. there was a
strong protest from anti-Catholic
sources because of the presence OF the
robes Of the order. and trouble seemed
imminent in the house. The senate did
its part in formally accepting the statue.
but the acceptance by the house was not
asked This effigy of Marquette stands
there now on as sure a footing as If 1t
had received a hundred formal accept
ances. and no one thinks of Directing to
its presence.
The Lee Statue
When Lee was first considered for
place in statuary hall there was some
difference of opinion in Virginia as to
the advisability of his selection. Every
one agreed that he was next to Wash
ingtOn, the best beloved of Virginia's
heroes. But some thought that perhaps
the time was inopportune. and that the
matter had better be deferred. To ev-
eryone it seemed to be a procedure war
ranted by right, but TO some it was not
considered expedient- AT this juncture
senator Martin gave expression to the
view that every other state had exer-
cised its right in the premises without
let or hindrance. and that If Virginia
were to be denied that right. the Vir-
ginia which had figured so conspicuous
ly in the founding of the government,
then 1t was time for her people 10 know