Evening star., 1922-04-07
LINCOLN STATUE
FIGHT NEAR END
Citizens Believe Congress
Will Restore Memorial to
Old Courthouse Site.

l "'Ih lhC hiHk5 TcSOl0(iOl loi iSoto
| ration of the Abraham Lincoln statue
to it's original location in front of
the courthouse due to come up for
final action in the House next We'd
nesday, members of patriotic and
| civic organizations in the National
Capital express confidence that their
/ appeals to the members of Congress
will win favorable action.
Since President Harding sent let
ter. to the committee on the Library
| almost a year ago there has been
growing disposition among members
of Congress to order the re-erection
of this statue for sentimental rea-
Representative King of Illinois.
who has been personally and active
ly leading the. fight to have the
statue put back on the original sight,
addressed the House at length on
Wednesday on the history Of the
monument.
In answering the criticism that the
statue was removed because 1t was
"inartistic" and not a good likeness
of the great emancipator. Represen-
| tative King said:
1T must be remembered that the
artist himself had resided in Wash
, ington all the time that Lincoln was
! President, and, like other citizens.
was familiar with Lincolns face and
form, Lincoln frequently walking
and riding about the city. The orator
of the day took occasion to refer to
| Lincoln's well known presence IN
! Washington when he exclaimed,
| Here he won from all who knew him
| land who is there who did not know
| him?-golden opinions.
mo doubt Flannery had often con-
| versed with the President
| There had been number of mod
els of Lincoln submitted to the COM
mittee on award, and this one was
| selected, from among many, accord
ing to MIR. Crosby S. Noyes, in bis
paper, The Washington Star. because
| of it's excellent likeness The money
| was raised almost entirely in Wash
| ingtcn, and was cared for and paid
over to the sculptor by such excellent
business men as Mr.. Noyes, George
w. Riggs, founder of the riggs Bank;
3. 5. French, commissioner of public
be almost in daily consultation with
the President, and twenty-five other
and excellent business men.
1T seems reasonable to suppose that
had not the statue been fine like
ness, they would have rejected it. One
of the most notable things which
occurred at the dedication was at
the moment of unveiling. when 10000
people. struck by the close resem-
blance between the statue and their
in loud and long approval of the
statue and of the artist. No dis
cordant piping voice was heard to, say
1T is inartistic.'
Representative King reviewed the
great celebration in the National Cap
ital when the statue was unveiled and
dedicated with Masonic service on the
third anniversary of Lincoln's death,
April 16, 1868. with President John
son, Gen. Grant and many other noted
national figures of that day partici-
pating.
Recalls Removal Of Statue.
In telling of the removal of the
statue. Chairman Gould of the House
library committee, said:
1T is peculiar fact that this was
the first statue to be dedicated to Lin
coin, and it is the only one ever
ally knew the martyred President.
The statue stood until the fall of
1919. when the commission on public
buildings and grounds, which had
house and Improvement of the
grounds. asked permission to take it
down. Mr.. Gillen, member of the
commission. explained to the appro-
priations committee that it is on a
very insecure foundation and the ped
estal proper has a very bad crack
':In the first deficiency appropriation
bill for the fiscal year 1920 the COM
mittee included an item reading as
follows: Public buildings and
81
and service road and the restoration
and planting of grounds around the
courthouse in Judiciary Park, includ-
ing the removal of the statue, s23, ,445,
one-half of which shall be paid from
the revenues of the District of Column
bia and one-half from the Treasury
of the United States
"When the deficiency bill was con-
sidered by Congress, no mention was
made of the item providing for the
removal of the statue and the bill
carried. The statue was taken down
and placed in the basement of the
courthouse, where it now is.
THE question of re-erecting the
monument was taken up shortly aft
erward, when this bill was original
ly introduced. Members of the Grand
Army of the Republic, Loyal Legion
and other patriotic organizations be-
came interested and urged the re-
erection of the statue upon the
original site. maintaining that it's re-
moval was desecration.'
; In discussing the reasons why the
statue should be restored to that par
ticular site Representative King said: ::
THE citizens of Washington, who
originated, bought and paid for this
monument. desired it placed in front