The sun., 1918-09-25
DEPEW TAKES VEIL
OFF BRONZE DEPEW
Peekskill Community Makes
Holiday for Ceremonies
at Statue.
OLD MATES PAY TRIBUTES
Brilliant Work Of Boys cover
There" Dwelt On by
<H Orator of Day.

The spot where Chauncey NJ. Depew,
wit and philosopher. laid the founda-
fion OF a national reputation seventy
hve years ago by hunting chestnuts in
the woods, was marked for the ages
yesterday when Mr.. Depew went there
and in a characteristic speech assisted
Mt the unwilling OF an eight foot statue
of himself, done in bronze by sigard
Neandfoss, sculptor.
The place is Depew Park, on the out
stirts OF Peekskill, N. Y. owned for
generations by Senator Depew's ances-
tors and by him given to the village
twelve years ago. Senator Depew was
born in Peekskill in 1894. and has Wis
tied and revisited II every year since
he left IL to make his way in the world.
The community for more than fifty
years has acclaimed him her favorite
and most accomplished son, ana yes
terday closed the schools and sus-
pended business TO turn out and do him
honor.
1t was with considerable reluctance
a year ago. to a proposal that heroic
statue of him be erected in his life
time in the park which bears his name.
He consented finally, upon the stipula-
tion that he select the sculptor and do
nate the statue. and yesterday when
the statue was unveiled with appro-
pirate ceremonies. he appeared before
his fellow townsmep and made the
principal speech of the day. The statue
elbows him in his best known attitude.
that of addressing an audience.
There is only one other monument in
Depew Park. bronze bust of Gen.
James W. Hustled, who, with Sanford w.
Knapp of Peekskill. was one Of the
closest friends of Senator Depew's boy
hood. Gen. Hustled died twenty-five
years ago. but Mr.. Knapp who is Sena-
tor Depew's senior by one year, took
part In the exercises yesterday and
made the presentation speech. The
master of ceremonies was Judge Charles
w Wells. in the office OF whose father
Senator Depew, Gen. Hustled and Mr..
Knapp were all law students sixty-eight
years ago.
Speaks to Children.
In his speech Senator Depew devoted
half OF 1t to Renaissance and anecdote
and the other half to a reminder to the
boys and girls In his audience that they
are living In an age, the fame of which
will go down through the centuries, to
stir generation after generation. He said
in part:
Franklin Couch, President OF Peeks-
Kill. is the highest authority on the early
history of this town. and has made valu-
able contributions to the men and events
of those early days. He suggested to
me several times that. while was living,
there should be statue in this park.
He said, which is true, that the difficulty
with most statues is that they are made
long after the death OF the subject and
the recreation has TO come from photo
graphs and personal recollections. They
are the only guide for the artist. and his
work Is not always satisfactory.
The sculptor. Mr.. Sigurd Neandroes.
has in the work now before us been sue
cessful His creation is In the Judgment
Of those who have studied 1t a happy
combination OF artistic merit and Ike
ness of his subject
THE question has often been asked,
and occasioned much dispute as to where
is the most fortunate location for boy
to be born and pass the formative period
81 his life. Some claim 1t is Paris. be-
-ause, on account of the manifold at
fractions of that city. every good Ameri-
ssa II not privileged 70 visit it during
Ute, goes there for while after his
death. but the most eminent and sue
cessful Frenchmen were not born in
Paris, but in the provinces Paris is
. post graduate course. Some say London.
but the same is true of this most promi-
nent of cities.
I'VE are proud of the growth OF New
York city. We glory in its supremacy
as the metropolis of the western world.
We see it rapidly becoming the financial
centre of the whole earth; but 1t is rare
to find in its evehtful history a leader
in any branch who was born and passed
his early life within it's boundaries.
Most Of them came to New York from
all parts OF the world and in the fierce
competitions of metropolitan lifeF are
the survivals of the fittest.
Praise, for PeekskiU.
well. then. you naturally inquire
What is the place in the world for a
man to be born and prepared for the
inevitable contest with the world which
decides his place in the sun" ] an
swer unhesitatingly, 'Peekskirl' The
reasons are obvious. They still prevail.
Il recall tne veterans OF the ReNOlu
ton. of whom there were many In our
village when was boy; OF the soldiers
of the war of 1912. of those who came
back from the bloody fields of Mexico
In 1S4S and OF comrades who fought
and fell in the civil war. In all those
wars we were a divided country, with
American opinion seriously at variance.
"Now the boys of our village are fight
ing over there Though the seas divide
them from us nevertheless there is no
waking moment when they are not in
our thoughts and no sleeping ones when
they are not In our dreams. There is
no division now: as one people we are
giving our best without stint and with
out criticism for the only world purpose
OF any war.
I'VE have the youngest army which
ever entered the battlefeld-,ts average
age Is only 22-but It understands as
we'll as the President and his Cabinet
or the Senate and the House OF Repre-
sentatives. why II is in France. It
knows the story of Lafayette and Is pay
ing the debt incurred by our ancestors
10 Lafayette and France Of a hundred
and forty years ago. 1t asks no loot or
territory or indemnity, but It IL deter
mined never to return until autocracy
has been beaten 10 its knees until mill
tarism has received its death blow. and
until the world IL sure of n Norma nent