Evening star., 1921-08-03
The Lincoln Statue.

An objection to consideration of d
resolution Monday prevented the
House from calling for the restoration
to it's original site of the statue of
Lincoln erected by the citizens of
Washington Immediately after his as
sassination. A reading of the Con-
gressional Record shows that the
character of the statue and its history
are quite misunderstood by members
of the House who prevented consid-
Grafton. Objection was raised to the
artistic quality of the statue. 1t was
also suggested that this simple tribute
to the war President should not be
replaced, because the nation is now
just completing a great memorial to
him, soon to be dedicated. 1t was OBJ
jcteed that the statue is not a cor
rect portrait. 1t is also urged that it
is the work of a graveyard stone
CUTTER
All of these things are beside the
tion in the case. This shaft bearing
a marble figure of Abraham Lincoln
represents much more than the artis-
try of its maker. 1t symbolizes the
sincere sorrow of the American peo-
pie for the man who served them
in their greatest crisis and brought
them safely through it. For this
statue was the first to be erected after
Lincoln's death. 1t was the modest
result of an immediate, spontaneous
endeavor to secure nationwide fund
for suitable memorial at the capital.
There was no national response to the
call, and the people of Washington
themselves. out of their meager re-
sources, supplied the funds. The dedi-
cation of the shaft was made an oc-
casion of national meaning, attended
by the President of the United States
and the highest officials of the gov
ernment.
Removal of the Lincoln statue from
its place in front of the city hall, now
the courthouse. fell only short of van
dalism from the fact that it was ac-
companied with definite promise to
replace it in some suitable place else
where. That promise has not been
kept. The statue has been cast aside
stored in the open, with no re-
spect or care-and with no provision
whatever for its emplacement.
President Harding has asked Con-
gress to restore this shaft to its orig
inal site. 1t is of no moment that
great national memorial has mean
while been brought nearly to COM
pletion. 1t is of not the least conse-
quence that the statue of the sixties
has been criticised, that it was the
work of an obscure local artist. that
1t was perhaps inartistically mounted.
1t is memorial, not merely to
Abraham Lincoln, but to the loyalty
and grief of the American people for
his loss. And as such it should be
treasured. not discarded.
If all the statues and memorials and
monuments in Washington that do not
measure up to the latest heights of
artistic tests are torn down and cast
away because they are an offense to
the cultured eye of the critic. why
stop at the Lincoln, the first Lincoln
memorial in America? There are sew
eral others far more deficient in the
twentieth, century sense. and they
have no such sentimental reason for
being.
1t is to be hoped that when the
resolution next comes up for consid-
GRAFTON in the House it will be treated
with respect and understanding and
promptly passed. so that. with the
Senate's assent. the injustice to the
memory of the war President COM
mitted in its removal will be cor
rected.