New-York tribune., 1919-01-28
A "Square Deal" City

To the Editor of The Tribune.
(lR: The naming of great parks. ave,r..
~ and foundations are indeed wos.s r.sss
honors. and many will and should be.r ~
name of Roosevelt 'as
There will and should be CONVEX,
monuments of stone and metal. NV sns
gestion IS to visualize the ideals thai ,ls
great man stood for and which mod ~ "''
what he was "'m
A corporation to be formed undsu =,
auspices of a great national organise; .4s
such as the American Defence Sociot,.
they would undertake ito promote :.
building of model American city a.
lasting memorial and monument tbo
of Roosevelt s'y
10 be located in the Middle West ~.
Venlent to great water power. with ooo,
rail and, if possible. water connect;oeS ''
The city to be designed by wholly Ano.:
can talent under direction of comm;..o1.
OF American artists. scuptors. architect
landscape gardeners, real estate devsloa.~'
and specialists in every line. Accented :,
signers to be rewarded by suitable medals
similar to Centennial and World Fa;s
awards.
In the centre of the city large sn...
to be reserved for the monument nrono~
(described later
Surrounding the monument could stara
the municipal buildings and museums 80
the things that Roosevelt loved. both :,
American history and in natural history
Suitable locations to be set aside for
Public parks and Fairgrounds,
Geological grounds.
Botanical gardens
Grounds for university.
funds for endowment to be solicited ,.+.-
Space also to be set aside for bns;ros.
and for factories with model housing con
ditons
Manufacturers, by the offer of supcrio,
facilities at low price of land. or poss;-
Bile remittance of local taxes for a stated
period, under the jurisdiction of com
mttee to harmonic various industr;.,
should be quick to avail themselves of the
advertising advantage of goods made in
the model city, and their products 10
properly made, could have the endorsements
of the city corporation.
The establishment of municipal new..
paper and magazine, The Square Deslr
with editorial pages open to all political
parties, indorsing all of its accepted adj
vertising
The development committee could AZ.
range the sale Of lots. Withholding coz.
tain choice ones and yet giving the early
investors chance to profit by their in
vestment, but no speculation to be AL
lowed. The one aim to be the rapid growth
of great city, and only by following the
life rule of its namesake. "The square deal
for every one"
The details Of Incorporation could he
arranged by committee of financiers. and
the initial amount raised by the general
sale of stock Of small denominations and
possibly. underwritten by bonds.
Committee which should also include
members of Congress and state govern
ments, to serve without pay yet without
expense; for the right men the honor
would be sufficient. They should le Sc
lected by the leading men in thsar own
professions.
The initial funds would thus start
living, growing memorial, which would
support itself and keep before the world
the spirit and inspiration of the one f..
whom it was founded
typical American monument, and II
would seem an appropriate one, is the ono
used by the American Indian: the heap Of
stones. each stone brought by friend
and cast upon the pile Many thousands
would make the pilgrimage, and for small
fee could be given certificate that they
had contributed to the building OF the real
Roosevelt monument, which, as time went
on would reach Impressive proportions
The small stones could be cemented into
a growing pyramid or shaft, should that
form be chosen.
CHARLES LARNED ROBINSON.
New York, Jan. "a. 1919