The daily sentinel., 1910-03-01
THE REDMAN'S
FIGURE To
Be THERE

a bin introduced in both houses OF
congress, providing for a colossal
statute of the North American Indian
to be placed in New York harbor,
Will be reported in the house today
This measure was introduced by
Representative Joseph A. Goulden
and Senator Chauncey NJ. Depew of
New York, and provides that there
shall be erected, without expense to
the United States government, by
Rodman Wanamaker of New York
City and others, on a United States
reservation in the harbor of New
York, a memorial to the memory of
the North American Indian. 1t is
further provided that commission,
consisting of the chairman of the
committee on library of the senate.
the chairman of the committee on IL
brary of the house and the secretar-
les OF state, war, navy and interior,
the attorney general and Robert c.
ogden of New York, shall be created
with full authority to select the site
in the harbor of New York and n suit
able design, and to contract for and
superintend the construction of the
memorial.
This bill is the result of a sugges-
tion made by Rodman Wanapaker,
at a celebrated dinner given last May
at Sherry's, New York, in honor of
Col. Cody, the famous Indian scout.
The idea of erecting a statue of an
Indian, with arms outstretched, in
welcome at the gateway of the new
world, met with such instant enthu-
siasm that there is little doubt but
that the measure will meet with
unanimous support.
While the ways and means of pro-
viding money to finance the enter
prise have not yet been decided upon,
it is expected that the statue will be
a national monument to perpetuate
the memory OF the first American,
and an opportunity will be given to
everyone who desires to contribute.
1t is estimated that one penny from
every man, woman and child in the
United States will furnish ample
means for its erection.
Already various tribes of the Or
der of Red Men throughout the Unit
ed States have taken steps to contrib
ute their share to the general fund.
1t is planned that each of the 5O0,-
600 members of the Order of Red Men
represented in the 1000 tribes in the
United States shall contribute 2 cents
each, which would amount to s10,-
800. A pile of copper cents amount
ing to $4,000 is far more imposing
than single check for that amount
donated by some one individual to
whom II would mean so little.
The idea of this statue originated
with Rodman Wanamaker of Phila-
delphia, during an expedition made
by him in 1908 for the purpose of
studying the Indian on his own
ground. His first impulse was to
present the statue to the country;
but the consensus of opinion is that
it should be national gift and that
every child in the country should be
allowed to contribute one penny in
memory of race that is fast becom-
ing extinct
The bill is backed by the entire
New York delegation. both in the
house and the senate, and is receiv
ing the support of the president, the
vice president and many prominent
men in political and financial circles.
Very valuable aid is being given to
secure the passage of the bill by
Senators owen of Oklahoma and Cur
tbs of Kansas, and by Representative
Carter of Oklahoma, all of whom can
trace their ancestry back to the no
Bile req man of the forest.