The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-07

chamber, has brought again into
the limelight an institution which is variously
regarded as a national hall of fame" and a
national chamber of horrors"
Early this year the congress- in joint resolu-
tion directed the architect of the Capitol in con-
junction with the joint committee on the library,
and with the advice of the commission on fine
arts ito relocate within the Capitol any of the
statues already received and placed in Statuary
hall and to provide for the reception and loca-
ton of the statues received hereafter from the
states"
Plans under way to place many of the
statues in the long corridor on the ground floor
that runs the entire length of the Capitol build
ing Instead of being crowded together In
single chamber, these statues henceforth will
be widely distributed.
This action has also revived talk of providing
a national pantheon, a building where there
would be ample room for the proper display of
every statue, such was provided for by bill
which introduced into congress in recent
years by Representative George II. Tinkham Of
Massachusetts,, but which was referred to a COM
mittee and seems to have become lost in the
legislative shuttle.
Designs for a national pantheon have been
set in years past as test for students of archi-
lecture. The design in the case of an American
Hall of Fame will be limited by the fact that
space is to be apportioned among the forty
eight states, and one of the arguments Of those
who urge the erection of the hall is that con-
gress, having asked the states to present statues
is in honor bound to provide suitable house for
them
That such suitable house has not been pro-
vided for them thus far is shown by the fact
that the crowded appearance Of the present
Statuary hall has had much to do with the jest
ing Characterization of 1t national cham
Der of horrors" where statues of both bronze
and stone and varying in size are "chucked to-
gether cheek by jowl like furniture in an auc-
ton room and placed in hall atrocousy
lighted"
Statuary hall is the original chamber of the
national house of representatives. In 1864 Rep
resentative Merrill of Vermont introduced a
resolution to have the old house chamber set
aside for this purpose. Each state was author
lied to place there two statues of men and wom-
who had been Industrious for their historic
renown" and had rendered distinguished civil or
military service to the country
Despite the patriotic impulse which created
Statuary hall, the responses of the states TO the
invitation to honor their distinguished citizens
were not as prompt might have been ex-
pected. Rhode Island the first and she sent
statues of her founder, Roger Williams and of
her Revolutionary war hero, Gen. Nathaniel
Greene. Since that time other states have slowly
made their selections and added their contribu-
lions to the collection, but even today, after
nearly 20 years since Statuary hall was pro-
vided, II states-Colorado, Louisiana, Montana
Nebraska Nevada. North Dakota, Oregon South
Dakota, Utah, washington and Wyoming-are
not represented there at all, and four states
Arizona, Idaho. Minnesota and Oklahoma-have
only statue each.
Recent additions include statues of John NJ
Clayton and Caesar Rodney from Delaware Han
nibal Hamlin from Maine, Alexander 81. Ste
phens from Georgia, John G. Greenway from
Arizona. Robert NJ. La Toilette from Wisconsin
and Sequoyah from Oklahoma.
The list of states and the men who have hon.
ored their notables follow:
ALABAMA. l. NJ Curry, member of
congress- Confederate veteran, minister to Spain,
and author; General Joseph Wheeler. graduate
of the Confederacy and brigadier general United
States army in Spanish war. also a member Of
congress.