Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1917-04-27

1T looks as though Mrs. Martin w
1ittleton would win her long
fight for the purchase by the ma
ton OF Monticello, the home and
death place of Thomas Jefferson, for
preservation of national monument
to the author OF the Declaration of In
dependence. She has overcome every
obstacle so far placed in her way, has
procured the appointment of joint
committee of ten members of the sen
ate and house TO inquire into the advis-
ability of the project. This committee
recently visited the grounds.
She has also received many indiyid-
ual Endorsements of governors, sena-
tors, judges and prominent men of all
professions and parties.
The owner of Monticello, former
Representative Jefferson NJ. Levy of
New York city. has told congress that
he doesn't want TO part with the es-
tate. But Mrs. Littleton is firm in her
conviction that even If Mr.. Levy does
not want 10 sell the old house that has
been in his family now for two genera
him 10 do so by application of the right
Of eminent domain, or whatever it Is
the lawyers call the supreme power Of
government to seize land which has
been decided to be more in the nature
CT community than individual property.
Many Approve of Plan.
And you'd really be surprised at the
way people have come forward to help
me-" she said recently. Not only by
word of mouth, but I've received bush
els of letters. more than | could count,
some from folks who are well known
and lots more from just ordinary peo-
Pile and do you know that not a single
one of them is against my plan? They
all say how splendid it is and hope
that we will succeed. Governor VIII
son, Joseph III. Choate, Isaac y. Selig-
man, Colonel Watterson. Justice Rich,
Francis Lynde Stetson, General Sick
les, Mayor Gaynor, Governor Carey OF
Wyoming, Governor Eberhardt OF Min
nesota, Governor Mann OF Virginia,
Senator Lodge and, oh, ever so many
more.
James NJ Beck told me that In
case brought about by the govern
ment's acquisition of the site of the
battle of Gettysburg the supreme court
held that the government had the right
to bury its own soldiers and see to it
that they do not remain unknown or
unhonored. Now, Jefferson was twice
president Of the United States and
therefore commander In chief of it's
army, so that 1t seems obvious that he
IL entitled to as much consideration as
the soldiers who fought at Gettysburg
In effect, the supreme court, Mr.. Beck
wrote me, ruled that congress could
acquire land when the use of it was TO
be public one 1t seems TO me that
clears up any reasonable doubt OF the
legal aspects OF the case.
Value ls Sentimental.
$50 far as the question OF value is
concerned, Monticello is chiefly worth
while from its sentimental interests
At the time of Jeffersons death 1t was
valued by his executors at $71 900, and
it was then in the height of its glory,
relatively more valuable, / should say.
than it Is now. Indeed, II Is now val
ued on the tax books of Virginia at
about $4,000. land and buildings, but
l dare say that is quite a little be-
low its actual value. at any rate, it is
of no particular use to its owner, and
il could be purchased by the govern
ment for quite trifing sum. Just
think. Mount Vernon and the Hermit
age and Arlington belong to the nation
now. Shouldn't we own the home OF
the man who was almost as great as
Washington. who was surely as great
as any other man IN our history?
'.You know jefferson died so poor as
a result Of the expenses of public life
that OF the 10000 acres OF land he In
herited he had only about 600 left and
he was heavily in debt. so heavily in
debt that the house had to be sold by
the executors. Perhaps | should begin
bv saying that Monticello came into the
hands OF the Jefferson family in 1873.
when Colonel Peter Jefferson. Thomas
Jef9erson's father, obtained patent
for a thousand acres of land on the
river Riyanna. Thomas Jefferson was
born at the old family place Of Shad-
well. two miles from where Monticello
now stands. II was burned in ITO.
warning OF what might happen any