Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-15
STATUE OF LIBERTY ]
AND BELL OF Stone .
| FOUND in CANTON
The Goddess Has a I.eer
Upon Her Face and
Is Cross-Eyed.
is BELOVED, HOWEVER,
AS IDEAL OF PROGRESS
Southern Chinese City Always
Leader in Civilization
Movement.
By orrin Keith.

By Orrin Keith.
CANTON, Jan. 14.-Canton. the
great metropolis Of Southern China.
has It's Liberty Bell and Its Statue of
Liberty. To he sure. they are In
stone. while their bettcr-known pro-
totypes are in bronze, but this Is a
small matter To the progressive Can
ionesc. Tho point is that they have
Them and that they have come as q
part OF the present movement to-
bring China into limo with the civil
ixation OF the West. Canton has al
ways been a leader In this movement
and she continues TO lead even in
the matter of monuments.
Some fourteen years ago. while tho
Marchus sim ruled In Cathay, a
number Of revolutionary idcnlists be-
came imbued with the idea that they
could further the cause OF liberty by
attacking the house OF the Governor
Of. Canton. The attack was SUCCESS
ful to the extent that they were able
To enter the house and set IL on Are.
but In the endless winding passage
ways and In the confusion OF ce:szsn,
yards. the rcvolutionists became lost
aud fell an easy prey to the Cover
Dor's troops. Sevcnty-two were killed
outright or captured. to be dccapi-
tnted later.
Thee seventy-two. who had sacri-
Heed their lives In the cause of libcr-
~. became the Inspiration OF those
who were left To carry on the fight.
and when the revolution was at last
success and the Nanchus had been
driven from the throne. the great
chinese National Association, which
has branches throughout the world.
determined to raisc monument to
the memory OF the "Seventy-two He
rocs.'
M III, n
OF the local branches. and today. tho
great memorial. the gift OF the sons
! or China in all parts of the world. ia
! virtually completed.
a Stone Liberty Bcn.
As the erection OF n memorial In
this way was II new thing In China.
ana as the cause for which the
heroes had died was the cause OF
liberty and modcrn!zation. so the de-
sign nf tho monument must be ex-
rressive of the new time. For the
most part, Chinas monuments ara
erected in wood with n liberal coat
ing of vari-colored paints. They are
gorgeous for space. but time soon
| \wprks havoc with them, and at
length they pass from the minds OF
men together with the deeds the.
were Intended TO commemorate. This
memorial, however, must be typical
Va VIC OF the new OTuGr
which was to supplant the old.
stone was. therefore. chosen as the
principal material. though IL Is set
OFF here and there by bronze.
The two stone tables In the fore
ground, with their bronze funeral
urns. are of Chinese design, and are
beautifully done. Back of these.
however. in the center or the design.
is n stone pavilion IN Western style"
sNhiv rs >,fIi for
Vt shelters from the hot summer sun
of Canton tiny Egyptian oaelisk,
and II bears upon its hack Il life
size stone replica of the Liberty Bell.
While II would be difficult to discover
the raison d'etre OF this singular
combination, the effect is not UNI
pleasing.
Back of Il, however. rises wha, an
sunsympathetic critic would call a
''monstrosity." II begins with very
little Petit Trianon" as the base.
This is not bad. Above 1t, however,
is piled n cross-section OF pyramid
whose angular stone steps contrast
painfully with the more graceful
lines of the base. At either end Of
this twin flight Of steps is another
stone tower with funeral urn, and
piled upon the steps themselves are
two Chinese lions. and two figures
which resemble nothing SO much as
couple of geese making frantic cf-
forts to escape from an approaching
motor car. but which. 1 am assured,
are doves of peace.
Goddess In CrOss-Eyed.
The browning glory. however. is
upon the summit OF the pyramid.
Here stands. with n lcerin- grin
upon her face, a figure which Is Just
recognizable at the Statue of Liberty.
6 Her head is thrown a bit to one side
) as II she had been successful In
4 escaping the effects of the prohibit
& ton amendment and-of all incon-
gruities!--she is hopclessly. perman-
entity cross-eyed!
Chinese artistry has long road to
travel before 1t VIII reach even a
reasonable amount of skill in the
handling of Western art themes. It
is to be hoped that in the furious
ardor for something new-for the
modern and up-to-date in allA its
aspects-that China%wiIl in time, np-
preciate the more moderate view.
That she will preserve that In her
own past which is good. Moderniza-
ton OF the form OF government and
- the Introduction Of Industrial nro.
cesses inevitably work havoc with
y art; but China has too much value
I'm her ancient civilization to sacrifice
II nii In wild pursuit of that which
y Is merely new. ~ $3.50 80 -