The Washington herald., 1921-06-05
STATUE IN MEMORY
OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

am interested to hear that
after neglecting his memory for
over l25 years, the treasury depart
ment is to pay tardy tribute to its
founder, Alexander Hamilton. A
statue of him. by James Earl
Fraser, soon to be erected on tNe
steps Of the treasury building will
be the first in Washington. PreJu-
dice, heretofore. has prevented from
time to time such efforts as were
made in this direction.
W. G. McAdoo launched a me-
mortal campaign. however. that
was to be a success The Alex
ander Hamilton Memorial associa-
tion was formed and enough money
raised to build the pedestal for the
statue Congress presented a sum
large enough to cover expenses sn6
an unknown contributor provided
the price OF the figure. II was
through the influence Of this un-
known that Mr. Fraser was induced
to undertake the statue.
Scarcely had this been done. when n
war was declared. The sculptor
was called to other commissions and
the Hamilton statue was left un-
finished. Fraser designed the VIC
tory medal, the navy cross and sew
eral Canadian memorials. With
the close of the war he resumed
work on the Hamilton statue.
Much care has been exercised that
The statue be correct in every de-
tail. In the choice cf a model a
.econd mysterious parsonage enters
the story. AS the ordinary models
seemed to lack the spirit OF the sub
ject a young man Of an old colonial
family consented TO serve. The
artist found in him a modern proto-
type OF the 18th century gentle
man. There was an air OF aristo-
cratic elegance, a whimsical smile
and touch OF the inscrutabie
which has been faithfully repro
duced. Members of ashinGton So
ciety who have seen 'he work are
racking their brains TO place the
familiar personages disguised IN
oowdered wig and knee breeChes.
The statue represents Hamilton
hat in hand and coat on arm. leaving
the treasury to attend a caoinet
meeting. The pose is one OF arrested
motion. the hope and despair oil
sculptors. The artist sums up ms
conception of the subject. and his
aims in the work in the following
words:
CT wanted TO express the force
OF a man who wore lace ruftles ana
vet had the might to combat JEFF
ferson and Madison perpetually
Hamilton had the mind and nature
OF an aristocrat, yet he put IL all
over the men he had TO deal with
by sheer power of character and
knowledge. wanted to show, in
my statue OF him. why men called
a gentle man and a gentleman the
little lion.
SOCIETY INTERESTED IN
DUKE OF ABRUZZI's PLANS.
was interested to read the other
day that Luigi Amsda, duke OF
Abruzzi. cousin of the king of Italy,
who is best remembered here for
his romance with Katherine Elkins,
now Mrs. william Hit, would pc
the Cecil Rhodes of Italy's African
provinces and that he plans to de-
vote his life to the development of
Somaliland. Here is the story as
/ saw il:
when the camel caravans OF
Italian Somalilsnd sncamp for the
night in this year of the prophet,
the burnoosed Arab traders and
kinky-haired Somali black who hud-
die over the grass fires gossip of
one whom they call the great hunt
er. They refer to the duke of the
AbruZzi. who since 1907 has been
the subject of gossip in America
over KITCHEN stoves and apartment
radiators.
The nomads of Somaliland, how
ever. feel no concern about the
bIighted romance OF this cousin of
the king OF Italy and the American
heiress, Mrs. william Hit, who was
Katherine Elkins. of West Virginia.
Causes do not enter into their Mo-
hammedan philosophy, which sees in
all events the will Of Allah.
These dark skinned subjects of the
Italian king know that the Great
Hunter has determined to live and
die in Somaliland: that he has un-
dertaken to transform this desolate.
barren strip Of northeast Africa
into a rich Italian province.
With characteristic energy the
luke. after winning from the Italian
government a free hand in the car