The Washington herald., 1912-11-11
PETITIONERS TO
.ASKCONGRESSTO
BUY MONTICELLO
Final Step Is Being Taken IN
Sending Out Blanks for
Signatures.
EXPECT 100000 ANSWERS
Action May Be Taken on Matter at
the Next Session Of the
Legislature,
EXPECT 100000 ANSWERS

What is practically the final step to
induce the government 70 purchase Mon
dcello, the home Of Thomas Jefferson,
author Of the Constitution. will be taken
this morning when 1000 petitions viii be
placed in the malls to be sent all over
the United States for signatures
The petitions are to go to State Legis-
latures, Governors, postmasters, hotels.
newspapers, and publications and all
places where they may reach a large
number Of people, and II IL expected that
they will gain on the average 500 sigma
lures each, making in the aggregate
e'OoO,oOO names. When all are signed the
petitions win be presented to Congress
for its action. and II has been promised
that the matter they represent shall be
made the first business of the House at
the December session. Chairman Henry,
or the rules committee, has SO declared.
The agitation for the purchase of Mon
tlcello for a government park h due to
Mrs. Martin W. Lttleton. founder and
managing director OF the Jefferson
Monticello Memorial Association Of
America, which organization Is sending
out the petitions. Mrs. Littleton has
worked on this proposition since the
spring OF 1911 and she declares the pur-
chase will be made without doubt.
The property Is owned by Representa-
tive Jefferson NJ. Levy OF New York,
who is desirous of retaining the estate
and promises to make a fight against
giving 1t up.
Among the Officers.
Among the honorary vice presidents Of
the Memorial Association are ]. Pier
pont Morgan. T. Jefferson CooIIdge, Of
Massachusetts,: Commodore z. c. Bene-
dict Mayor Gaynor, former Senator Mel
son a. Aldrich. Dr.. Newell Dwight Hills
Winston Churchill. Secretary of the
Treasury Franklin MacVeagh, former
Senator Lafayette Young OF Iowa, Henry
Watterson, A. S. Draper, Samuel Comp
ers, Mayor Carter II. Harrison, OF Chi
cago: Joseph II. Choate. Senator A. ].
Beveridge Of Indiana, John D. Crimmins.
and DR.. Charles w. Eliot.
Among the vice presidents are Mrs.
Adlai f. Stevenson. widow OF a former
Vice President of the United States; Mrs.
John A. Logan, Of Washington; Mrs.
Frank X. Pendleton, Mrs. Reginald
Brooks, of Virginia; Mrs. Henry Selig-
man. Mrs. Nicholas Biddle, Mrs. W. Sc
ward Webb. jr., Mrs. Robert S. Lovett,
Mrs. Raymond Robbins, OF Illinois; Mrs.
Isidore Rayner. Of Maryland: Mrs. Ser
geant Cram. Mrs A. Bourke Cochran.
and Mrs Charles Dana Gibson.
On the Governors board among others
are Gov. W. H. Mann of Virginia, Gov.
Judson Harmon Of Ohio. Gov. r. P. Bass
OF New Hampshire, Gov. o. B. Colquitt
of Texas, Gov. T. L. Oddie OF Nevada,
Gov. Z. N. Foss of Massachusetts,, Gov.
A. o. Eberhardt of Minnesota, Gov. R.
S. Goldsboroush OF Maryland.
Among those on the Executive Com
mIttee are william +. McCombs. Tim
othy Woodruff, Thomas Taggart. OF In
diana, Joseph W. Folk, Of Missouri,
George NJ. Palmer. George Foster Pea
body. David r. Francis. OF Missouri,
Frederic C. Penfield, and Frank o. Low
den, of Illinois.
Gov. Wilson is in favor of the project
and last June wrote TO Mrs. Lttleton
this letter:
My Dear Mrs Littleton:
Il wish sincerely that l could be present
and lend such personal influence as 1
could command to your interesting ef-
forts in behalf OF the purchase Of Month
cello, but i find myself obliged to be
contented with these few lines Of hearty
Endorsement. 1 wish the project well
with all my heart.
Yours very sincerely,
WOODROW WILSON"