Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-08-15
LEAVITT EXPLAINS
PLANS FOR E. N.
RUSSELL STATUE
Significance of Honor to
Montana Artist Told at
Luncheon


the plans for placing a statue of the
late Charles M. Russell, cowboy art
list, in the hall of fame at Washing
tton, by Representative Scott Leavitt
was made Thursday noon at the
monthly meeting of the heads of de.
partments of the local Anaconda
Copper Mining company plant at tna
A. c. M. Club. Mr.. Leavitt devoted
considerable time to an explanation
of the history of the hall. In this
survey he said:
"The interest Of Montana people
in the memorials at the nations cap
ital has been intensified by the deci-
sion to place in Statuary hall az
Washington the figure Of Charles NJ
Russell as representative of this
state. When his statue is erected i'll
that historic hall it will grace distin-
guished company, and we as friends
and neighbors of him here will be
pleased to know something of those
who in bronze and marble will be his
neighbors there throughout the ages.
Approved by Congress
at was on July 2, 1864, that an
act of congress was approved auth
orizing the president to invite eacn
and all the states to provide and fur
nish statues, in marble or bronze,
not exceeding two in number for each
state, of deceased persons who have
been citizens thereof, and illustrious
for their historical renown or from
distinguished Services, such as each
state shall determine to be worthy of
this national commemoration, and so
furnished the same shall be placed
in the old hall Of the house of repre-
sentatives, in the capitol of the Unit
ed States, which is hereby set apart
or so much thereof as may be neces-
sary as national statuary hall, for
the purpose herein Indicated
"It was under this provision that
the legislature of Monana in session
last January and under bill pre-
sented by Representative Sid Willis
Of Cascade county designated Char
lie Russell for this hall OF eternal
fame. 1t was fitting thing to do
for if any man epiomized the old
Montana within his soul it was he
And out of that soul and through
his finger tips and brushes there
poured that old Montana to live upon
his canvasses. What he saw he pre-
served and made the heritage of us
all. He has come thus by the trails
of circumstance TO the treshold of a
new abiding place. He who knew
the welcome of campfire, cabin, tepee
and the homes Of simple and sincere
friends will find welcome among
the nations great.
"The Satuary hall is an historic
and interesting place, and after tell
ing briefly of it, | will introduce you
to it's occupants. | feel that / know
many of them well because every day
my work in Washington when the
house is in session l pass back ant
forth through the hall and among
them from my office which is in the
capitol to the present hall of the
house.
1.-THE old Hall of the House of Re
representatives. was in the south wing
of he old capitol, completed in 1911
The cornerstone of the original build
ing had been laid by Washington ir
1893. From 1871 until December 16
1857, when the present House Cham
Der was occupied, that Hall was the
meeting place of the House of Repre-
sentatives.
Population Climbs
"In 1910 the third census had
shown that our population had in
creased to 7240,0O0.. There were Il
states in the Union. James Madison
was president. In 1911, John c. Cal
houn of South Carolina took his
seat as a member of the house. Henry
Clay was chosen speaker. Their voic-
es we're potent in that hall of mem
cries. There John Quincey Adams
was chosen president of the United
States in 1926 by vote of the house
in contest with Crawford of Georgia
Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson, and
it was at that spot there, now mark.
ed by a bronze plae, that he died in