Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-07-26
UNvE|L STATUE OF LINCOLN
DR.. Benton Made Member of
Committee Going to England.
Likenesses Of Washington md Lincoln
Were Promised to Great Britain by
the American Centenary
Committee.

President Guy Potter Benton has been
appointed member Of a committee of
presentation of the statue of Lincoln
which is to be given to England and erect
ed opposite Westminster Abbey in Lon
don. At the time of the Peace Centenary
celebration statues Of both Washington and
Lincoln were promised to England. The
State of Virginia looked after the former,
and Charles p. Taft of Cincinnati has Of
fered the means for the other, variant
Of the George Grey Barnard statue. The
Lincoln statue is now being cast.
The letter in which DR.. Benton was in
vited to be member of the presentation
committee explains the present status of
the project. 1t is as follows:
THE LETTER.
"My Dear DR.. Benton:
"As you will recollect, the American
Centenary committee obligated itself by
formal resolution to present statues of
Abraham Lincoln and of George Washing
ton to the people of Great Britain. The
State of Virginia, through legislative en-
actment. relieved the committee of carry
ing out Its intention as regards the WASH
ington statue, through an appropriation
FOR the making of a replica of the Houdon
statue Of George Washington which now
stands in the corridor of the Capitol at
Richmond
THE committee has likewise been fortu-
nate as regards the gift of Lincoln, for
through the generosity of Charles Z. Taft
OF Cincinnati. variant from the original
Lincoln by George Grey Barnard, recently
unveiled in Cincinnati, was offered to our
committee as a gift to the British people,
The matter was taken up by our executive
committee with the British committee
Lord Weardale chairman, with the result
that the offer was enthusiastically and
gratefully accepted by them and us. The
statue is now in process of casting and
Will be ready for shipment about the first
OF August. OF all the statues of Lincoln
those who have seen it and other statues
that knew Lincoln, assert that the Bar
nard statue is more nearly the Abraham
Lincoln that they knew than any other
What arrangements will be made for I'M
yelling the statue will depend largely
upon the course of the war. In any event.
the statue on completion will be shipped
to Great Britain, erected upon the site
reserved for it opposite Westminster Alb
hey and the Parliament buildings, the
best site in London, and probably infor-
mally unveiled about September first to
await dedication at a formal ceremony
after the war.
AL ocHstiA OI tne committee may / COR
diaally invite you to become one of com
mittee OF preentation. representing all
the States which will have charge of the
arrangements Of the unwilling ceremo-
MES?
las soon as the statue Is ready for ship
ment, each member of the committee will
be consulted as to what should be DONE
the which of course, will depend largely
upon the wish of the British government
and the British centenary committee The
cost Of the statue and everything pertain
Ing to 1t Is already taken care of.
Very sincerely yours,
JOHN S. STEWART,
Chairman Executive Committee"