Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-05-14
BAI4TIMORE-"THE MONUNIEN-
tai CITY"

BY THEODORE WELLS PIETSCH.
Perhaps for more than two or
three generations Baltimore has been
identified as the Monumental City"
even as Philadelphia and Boston
have had fastened upon them in the
minds of the people the sobriquets
of Quaker City and the Hub, and as
other great centers OF population
throughout the Country have won
more or less flattering nicknames by
virtue Of their history or location,
climatic or civic characteristics.
Who was first responsible for Civ
ing the City of Baltimore the certain
enviable title of the Monumental
City," l do not know, nor do / know
whether this title was thought de-
serving on account of the number of
the City's public monuments or by
reason of their possible superiority Of
design. But / would venture to
guess that the answer to this ques-
tion lies in neither of these premises,
but Is rather directly traceable to the
interest created in the erection of a
great statue to George Washington
and the successful completion of this
monument in the early half of the
Nineteenth Century.
However, this may be, Baltimore
was so christened and is known to-
! day as The Monumental CITY," al
though / note with regret that the
term has fallen into considerable dis
use in recent years There was
once time when Monumental"
would have sounded the crowning
note of praise for any metropolis, but
today our Politicians and Promoters
dwell most exclusively on such at
tributes as: the Favored Location,
Pride of the Chesapeake, Growing
Center of Industry, boundless natural
wealth in the waters OF the Bay, I'M
mortal Eastern Shore, Traditional
Biyalve and finally and to universally
please to the Haven of fair women of
Maryland and of Charles Street in
particular.
Have you ever heard a Candidate
for Political Office expatate on the
beauties of Mt. Vernon Square, the
quaint and homely of theBattle
Monument, the distinguished dignity
of many an old mansion Of the past,
or the captivating charm of now
neglected square? Or as Elects, with
the Political prize won and the whole
gamut of material and industrial
achievements sung, do we find them
dwelling affectionately on those old
landmarks of our City that are the
very mile stones of its history? In
answer, NO, and l venture to say so
without exception or qualification.
This is misfortune For while
II is undoubtedly proper ard per-
tinent to remind the people of the
material advantages in their COM
munity present and to be, il is Of no
less importance to recall the inn
mutable teachings of the Good Book,
Man cannot live by bread alone"
Yet we should not take our public
man to task for this failure to dwell
on the aesthetic and immaterial quail
tiles OF life for in our public citizens
are only reflected to a great degree
the concensus of public thought and
temperament.
Today II is the custom to guess,
sometimes to think, but seldom to
reflect
Now reflection is the paramount
trait not only required to produce
work of art, but likewise to perceive
the study involved in the production
OF that work and hence to be capable
of its appreciation.
Inaminate objects stamped by the
hand of man have sentimental
value in direct ratio to their artistic
expression and also TO the glamor
that history may weave about them
and to the mellowing influences OF
time
A building, a statue, picture, new
today, and of the greatest artistic
value, is still incomplete. The soft
ening influences of years, of gener-
ations, will gather to these works.
traditions and the accumulating af-
fections Of the people and render
them more perfect. They then be-
come masterpieces in the full sense
of the word and create an atmos-
phere in their surroundings, insid-
ious. persuasive and most influential,
to point where man is dominated
by his own creation.
In India. it is said that the artists
! builders OF the monster idols, are as