The Colorado statesman., 1912-03-16

pie OF the country
no longer remem- ber the inception
of the movement or when the work on
this wonderful monument was con-
cluded, It being at the time of its erec-
ton the tallest building or structure in
the world
The society was volunteer associa-
tion, organized in this city Sept. 26,
1888. and the organization proposed to
erect in Washington a monument
which should be national in character
to the memory of Washington. The
society organization was the out
growth of paragraph in the National
Intelligencer, then the leading paper
in the city of Washington. This para
graph referred to the resolution of the
Continental Congress adopted Aug. Z,
1888, the vote being carried unani-
mously, with 10 of the 13 original
states represented. This resolution
declared that 1t was the purpose OF
Congress that an equestrian statue of
General Washington be erected at the
place when the residence of Congress
shall be established" This resolution
was amended by John Marshall in the
House of Representatives Dec. %,
1893. on whose motion the Congress
resolved, among other things. that
marble monument be erected in the
United States at the capital at Wash
ington, and that the family be request
ed to permit his body to be deposited
under it, and that the monument be so
designed as to commemorate the great
events of his military and political
life" The resolutions were neither of
them ever carried into effect although
they were again moved in Congress on
May 9, 1900, again in 1916. 1924 and
1882.
The society, which perfected its or
ganization Sept. 26. 1888. had for its
first president John Marshall, the
great chief justice, then rs years of
age On the death of John Marshall
ex-President James Madison was elect
ed president, and on the death of Pres
ident Madison it was provided that
| the president of the United States
should be ex officio president. and 1t
has been the case ever since.
The society barely existed until
1889. On Feb % of that year 1t was
chartered by Congress. Funds were
raised by popular subscription, and the
money was raised to lay the founda-
ton of the monument in July, 1S4S.
and to carry the shaft to 156 feet in
height There the monument stood
unfinished, with scaffolding about it
at the time the war Of the rebellion
broke out, and during that period
nothing whatever was done. The pc
riod of reconstruction was no better,
although the society continued its ef-
forts to raise funds to continue the
work and to complete the shaft.
Congress had been repeatedly me-
morialized to assist in the completion
of the monument. and petitions to this
effect were introduced in 1872 and
1874. Congress declined to do any
thing until July 5, 1875, the centen-
uial year. On that day Senator John
Sherman offered resolutions, which
were adopted by the Senate and later
by the House, which provided that
Congress would assume the compile
ton of the monument. This was fol-
lowed by the act OF Aug. 21, 1876,
creating a joint commission for the
completion of the monument. The in
terror of the monument is lined to a
height of perhaps 200 feet with stones
representing the states. Stones from
six of the states have not yet been
placed, but the society hopes that by
1918 every state in the Union will be
represented.