The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-06
THE CAPITOL SYMBOLS
Must It's Architecture BE Changed %
Suit the New Politics?

Must Its Architecture BE Changed %
Suit the New Politics?
To III EDITOR or THE SuN-Sir. Art
and architecture have from the earliest
days sought TO symbolic the ideals of
tho people. and the monuments OF the
past. whether In Pompeii or In Egypt,
show that ambition. Tho architects of
the national Capitol. under tho inspira-
ton Of President Thomas Jefferson.
sought to symbolic the strength Of the
new republic In the ornamentation OF
that great marble palace of tho people.
and they adopted n new principle In
decoration which the first architect. La
trobe. called tho American order OF
columns and capitals. The people
called tho result Of tho American
order the "corncob columns and the
tobacco capitals"
These columns and capitals are still
the most original bits Of art In the
Capitol. Supporting the old Senate
chamber, now that Of the Supreme
Court, Latrobe. after consultation with
JEFFERSON. placed tho "corncob columns"
which symbolic tho great American
staple that had It's origin on this con-
tlnent and was known as Indian corn.
These columns line the walls Of the
small vestibule to the law library Of
Congress and support the chamber Of
the supreme Court. The fiutinY OF the
columns represents cornstalks. and the
capitals are adorned with half opened
ears or corn, the silken husks forming
,ne p TOT tne ruiz kernelled ears.
'ar'cd from Carrara marble, these coll
uinns are the most original
ton of the Senate wing Of the Capitol.
The HOtiSa ~ REM 4 ttyos IL a,p.
ported by tho massive tobacco coll
INNS winch line the main corridor OF
the first hoor. and from their capitals
spring great tobacco leaves.
Ihofnis Jefferson was a man OF cul-
lure as we'll AS one or great learning and
great patriotism. He Is said TO havo In
spired these decorations OF the Capitol.
begun IN his Administration. to give the
building "A distinctive art. representative
or the new nation then attracting at
tention In the world. He turned TO the
W great agricultural staples Of the
q and tobacco.
inc principal commercial produc: of
corn was whiskey, because It was the
most compact for shipping over the
mountains 10 the seaboard 60 be ex-
ported to Europe. Jefferson, like Wash
ingtor. had a sti!l oil his plantation and
a favori,e brand Of distillation. Whether
that mad any part IN the Inspiration for
the "coricob "olumns' - support the
old Senate chamber TX not known. any
more h whether he selected tho "to-
bacco columns" 10 represent the great
Virginia product of that day. Bu, these
two groups OF olumns were designed
for the support Of the Congress Of the
tn!ted states. presumably 10 remind the
lawmakers that these two staples were
ts.vA ~ a.s ,L -
corn and tobacco have remained very
eminent "a we'll As of the American
people. for more than bali ~ all the
revenues of the Government In
the last ftty wears has come from taxes
o. corn juice and tobacco. They st!ll
pay more than half OF all the internal
taxes and produce more than one
third OF all the revenues of the Govern-
uIent. the revenues which the Senate
and House appropriate 'pr tho support
of the multiplied agencies Of the ma
tional Government
.And yet senators and Representative
IN recent years stood on the floors
supported hy these symbolic columns to
declare that corn juice and tobacco are
poisons which must be prohibited to the
people. We also have active and ener-
getic lobbyists pacing the corridors sup
ported 10y the columns who Insist that
the Federal Constitution must be
20 prohibit forever within the
confines OF the nation the manufacture.
sale and use of these "poisons."
This demand for the prohibition Of the
most popular products o. corn and to-
hacco may. n successful. Inspire am
other propaganda, to tear from the
Capitol the 'corncob' and tobacco"
Columns n place there some more
supports for Congress that
will better symbolic the ideals Of the
American people to-day. To carry out
,1A, t1aa. - yrfvaroo- 80 ~