The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-20
If He Declines, Condem-
nation Proceedings
May Be Brought.
COMMITTEE VOTES
FAVORABLE REPORT
Passage in Senate T-occted
Within Few Days-No Action
Yet Taken by House-New
Yorker Likely to Make
Proposition if Con-
gress Requests 1t.
Especial to The rimes-Dispatch.l ]

! Especial to The Times-DiSpatch.1
Washington. March 1e.-Mrs. Martin
w Littleton gained a point to-day in
her campaign to have tho government
! acquire Monticello. the home OF
| Thomas Jefferson, ana take 1t out of
| the hands OF its present owner, Con-
| ErcssInan jefferson ~. Levy, Of Sew
three-hour hearing granted her to-day.
/ tho Senate Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds decided. prac-
! tically unanimously, TO favorably re-
port TO the Senate resolution ravor-
Ing the objects put forward by Mrs.
! Littleton.
The resolution introduced by Senator
: Reed, OF Missouri. last week embodics
the joint resolutions passed by the
/ Virginia Senate and House OF Dele
gates AS agreed to by the commit
tee to-day, 1t was changed in only one
particular, which was To insert therein
u request by Congress that the pres
ent owners Of the property sell II to
the United states. No amount is
specified or suggested. It is provided
in the resolution. however, that if the
owners shall not within thirty days
/ offer the property at what is consid-
cred reasonable price, the United
States Attorney General shall bring
Ncondemnation proceedings.
Early Action Expected.
Senator Reed, who introduced the
resolution. VIII report it back favor
ably to the Senate tomorrow. When
/ II will come UP in the Senate for pas
7 sage is uncertain, but such action is
+ expected within n few GAYS Tho
I House has 50 far taken no action in
/ the matter.
The whole OF to-day's hearing was
/ occupied BY Mrs. Littleton, who in a
most eloquent ana forceful address to
tTpit tf9..
mad been making for about three
years TO have Monticello owned bv the
: people. She portrayed the movement
/ Whlcn has been in progress for the
past ifty years TO have preserved
/ Mount Vernon, the former home of
George Washington; the Lincoln log
cabin, Grants tomb, and which has
/ now IN view the acquisition of Month
| cello
/ first thought OF this proposition
I Whch came 10 WASHINGTON when my
/ nuSp"hu came TO Congress. and ] found
I tHef" was no monument or niche to
honor the memory OF this great pa
! triot' said Mrs. littlcton Il believed
IL WAS time to honor his memory. and
' thought that in preference to erecting
Il monument TO him, 1t would hc better
10 preserve his little home in Virginia
/ where his simple grave lies.
called ON Mr. Levy to sec If
! could Haln his consent to sell Month
cello, but he refused. and then started
4 campaign to secure resolutions. me-
! MORALS and letters OF Endorsement for
] the purchase OF the jefferson home"
VIII Contested and Defeated
/, She then explained the way in which
Z congressman Levy had acquired title
/ 10 the proeerty, through his heirs con-
! testing and defeating the will of Com
. inodorc Levy, which donated the prom
crty 10 the people OF the United
| states"
IT is the fight Of Virginia now ana
not mine She continued. The Vir-
ginia Assembly has passed resolutions
4 iavorinS this project. Every member
of the Virginia delegation has agreed
to vote for this resolution"
She then exhibited the Photographic
record OF Il mortgage placed on the
I property FOR tij goo by Levy Judge
Duke OF charlottesville. counsel for
/ Levy, and Lev: himself, strcnuously OBJ
jccicd at this point to the Introduction
OF such evidence but they were over
ruled by the committee
The best authority can get Of the
value OF the property from real estate
experts at Charlottesville places it at
100000. l;ut we should not bubble
ove: price In so noble u cause as this
she said. II hope Mr. Levy viii change
his mind ana change il To-day, so that
on JeiicrSon's nest birthday, April 49,
the people Of the nation can 20 to
Monticello ana pay homage 20 the Mcm-
. Org OF Thomas Jefferson without having
TO secure permission from any private
owner"
There were numerous heated clashes
between Mrs. I.ittleton, Mr.. Levy and
Judge Duke. when the latter tried To
Continued on Fifth ragcD