Evening star., 1916-02-16

SettS, speaker Clark ana ItepTeSeHtd-
tive Cannon, claiming that the COM
mittee had shown extravaganza in ap-
proving a memorial which they knew
! could not be completed for the s2,000,-
600 originally authorized.
M1. Fitzgerald's Argument.
In part, Representative Fitzgerald
said:
what does this appropriation of
s5s4,O0O mean? The architects trust
has had it's hand in it. For years we
had been paying for outside architec-
turaI services 5 per cent, and then the
architects trust, which recently was
busy on another matter, arbitrarily
raised the price to per cent, SO that
the architect on this structure, under
the present limit of cost, receives per
cent on S2,000,000, or 100000. There
is no incentive upon those men to de-
sign buildings within the limit Of cost,
because If this particular provision be
adopted the architect receives out OF
it $4,000 additional as his percentage
on the $594,0OO to be provided.
1T was supposed that the great
galaxy of statesmen upon this commits
sion would have some interest In pro,
tecting the Treasury of the United
States. Many believe that an appro-
pirate and suitable memorial that
would not only have done Justice to the
memory of Abraham Lincoln, but would
have commanded the respect of the
United States and the admiration of all
the world, could we'll have been built,
even if the site had also been paid for,
with 100000. But, absolutely disre-
garding the law, in contempt of the
law-making body of the United States.
the commission proceeded according to
their own will, relying upon patriotic
appeals in the name of Abraham Lin
coin to have their Illegal action justi-
fed.
..This House should not desec-ate the
memory of Abraham Lincoln by ratify
ing their action. If this were to be an
incomplete memorial, il 1t were to be
one that would not do justice to the
memory of Lincoln, If it were one where
additional money were required in order
to make it a suitable and fitting me-
mortal, we might with regret approve
what they have done. But it will not
be either incomplete or unsuitable. We
Abraham Lincoln by appealing to the
love that men have In their hearts for
his great work in behalf of the re-
public to justify the action that has
been taken by this commission"
Speaker Clark Takes the Floor.
Speaker Clark took the floor to differ
from Representative Fitzgerald. He
said:
II have always been very liberal in
the selection of objects and men for
admiration on my part. There are four
Presidents who. in my Judgment, for
all time to come will stand in a COM
pany by themse1ves-George Washing
and Abraham Lincoln. In his preface
to his wonderful life of Charles the
Twelfth of Sweden. Voltaire speaks of
certain men rising above the vulgar
most suggestive phrases that was ever
coined in the teeming brain of it's won
derfuI author. He speaks of kings,
emperors. princes. potentates. generals.
whom their cotemporarieS deemed
great. but who, tried by the severe test
Of time. fade away and sink into moth
ing. But these four Presidents, two of
them democrats and two of them not
democrats. have left their impress upon
this nation and upon the world as no
other American statesmen have done.
Most assuredly these four rise above
the vulgar level of the great Wash
ington has very unique monument,
which challenges the admiration and
attention Of every person who visits
this wonderful city We have under
taken to build Abraham Lincoln one
that will do the same for the visitors
to this city.
IF L had my way about it, I would
have one built in this CITY to Jefferson
and one to Andrew Jackson. Every
once IN a Wnlle the nne arts COmm1S-
sion takes notion to remove Jack
sons statue from the center of Lafay-
ette Park, but they will not do it as
long as 1 am q member Of the House
Of Representatives.s
Motion Supported by Mr.. Rainey.
Representative Rainey of Illinois said ::
I'VE are building here on this elevation
a memorial which ought to stand as long
as this republic stands" He was ap-
plauded for his speech. and he took the
pains to explain at length about the
Lincoln memorial. He said
"A great architect furnished plans for
the erection OF memorial on the Sol
dierS Home grounds; another on Me-
ridian hill, overlooking the Capital City.
Another prepared plans for the erection
Of the memorial where it. 10 now being
constructed and to a great American
architect, Henry Bacon, was finally
awarded the contract for preparing the
plans under which the memorial IL now
being constructed. This building is 10
Gated where l think 1t ought to be To-
Gated, with the Capitol at one end Of
long axis extending west for perhaps two
miles, extending through the Grant me-
mortal and then farther on through the
under the shadow Of the hill upon which
is erected the mansion in which Robert
l.. Lee lived prior to the civil war, the
tpu~ lrvra