Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-23
ISPROUL WOULD
SUPERVISE ART
Says That State Should Have
Best of Advice on Build
ings and Memorials

Governor-elect William c. Sproul
In a chat with newspapermen in
Philadelphia, indicated that he has
been thinking about one of the mat
ters long on the minds of people who
have noted tendencies in memorial
art and public building decoration.
"All over the state" he said, "our
communities will shortly be spend
ing sums of money for memorials of
their soldiers. l would hate to see
1t brought about that the local con-
tractors, marble-cutters and grave
stone clippers would be able to get
to the county authorities and be
given carte blanche to erect monu-
mental monstrosities of various sorts
all over the state.
ut would be an excellent thing
If we could have some sort of a COM
mission, on which artists should
have prominent representation,
which would make it impossible for
these things to get by only to be re-
gretted by generations to come.
II think some of the large cities
which will spend great sums ought
to keep in view that memorial of
some utilitarian value should be
their offering. For instance, suppose
the Philadelphia-Cam bridge
were conceived as a memorial to the
fallen heroes of the war. How much
more it would mean, and how fitting
an expression of our sentiments it
would be?"
The Philadelphia Press says: Sen
ator Sproul said he would not con-
! fine his principle of an art commits
sion to memorials of the war only.
1t should be a principle applied in
every direction, he said, so that our
boroughs and cities would be. pro-
tected against everything that gross
ly offended the eye. He resisted in
stances from Pennsylvania cities
where monuments, parks and other
places of beauty were 'defaced by in
artistic and unloVely structures
There is one museum that is the
handsomest building in one of our
cities, and yet a man was allowed
to come along and build hideous
garage right next to>/it," he said
Now, no one can hold that garages
should not be built, But they car
be made either unobjectionable OF
else positively good looking, accord
ing to the taste of the architect OF
owner. The art commission shoulC
be there to supply a conscience fol
owners and builders who have none
of <their own"
In speaking to the Philadelphi;
Public Ledger Mr.. Sproul let IT p'
known yesterday that he Will nav
experts in the State highway De
partment to assist Lewis .. Sauler
who will be Highway Commissioners
in the care and construction oI sld''
highways. Mr.. Sadler mas asree'
to accent the appointment otferet
him bv the Governor-elect, and Mr.
Snroul is confident that the Hlgh
wov Department under the admins
trotion of Mr.. Sadler will make raple
advancement. ,.,,,o,,ie
needs improved roads badly, ana y
is not expected that the S5O,OOO'OV'
bond issue will prove sufficlent te
Give the state all that it should nave
in the way of first-class highways
MIR. Sproul, however, is anxious tc
have the money used to the best pos
sibIe advantage, and he believes Mr.
MIR. Sadler will meet his eXpecta'
tions. One idea of the Governor
elect is that there should be a mair
trunk road leading into every coun'
ty in the state, thus connecting uI
the state and making free commune
cation between the counties possl'
BILE.
incidentally, Mr.. Sproul indicat'
ed that there were several men OF
first-class ability now in the High
way Department, whose services un'
doubtedly would be required under
the new administration. Mr. Sprou
has as yet made no selections for tho
posts of Banking Commissioners anc
insurance Commissioner. 1t is un'
derstood he has q man in nina te
head the Agricultural Department
which he proposes to reorganizef~pu'
this name has not been announced
The Governor elect may make n'
further appointments until he is set
fled in office in Harrisburg.
There appears to be little doub
that John Price Jackson, head OF tn
Labor Department; Charles A. Am
bler. Insurance Commissioner, ant
Secretary Patton, of the Department
of Agriculture, will be asked to stel
out when Mr.. Sproul takes office"
At the Capitol these changes wer'
forecast right after election togethe
with others,