Evening star., 1938-02-13
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
The latest novelty in popular amuse-
ment schemes" says The Star of Febru-

The latest novelty in popular amuse-
ment schemes" says The Star of Febru-
.rL. ary 6, 1888, "is the
AAeo'oi "a AA"oJ project of Chi
Prison to Chicago. cago syndicate to
buy the old Libby
Prison at Richmond, pull it down, ship
it to Chicago and rebuild it there, in
closed in another building and with
panoramic view of the James River and
surrounding country painted on a side
wall, so arranged that the windows of
the restored prison will command it as
they used to command the real view from
the old site in Richmond. The idea is,
of course to enable veterans of the war
and curiosity seekers to make or renew
acquaintance with the structure at the
rate of so much head. It is possible
that the scheme will prove a great sue
cess-there is no accounting for the fam
cies that often seize people. 1t would
lose, however, its chief romantic interest
to most of the world If removed from it's
familiar surroundings, and there would
cling about it, in its rejuvenated FORM
too much of the apochryphal flavor of
the relic showroom in Ireland, where the
curator gravely exhibits a large adult
skull as that of ST. Patrick. taken from
his burial place fifty years after his death
and another of diminutive size as the
skull Of the same celebrated prelate when
q boy"
The old prison was removed to Chi
cago in 1892 as feature Of the World
Columbian Exposition, held the next
year. but 1t proved to be financial fail
ure as an attraction.
\
"The memorial laid before the Senate
Monday says The Star of February 8,
1888, "in favor of the
Erlksen as Rival appropriate celebration
of Columbus. Of the discovery Of
America by Left Erik
sen, is interesting as novelty. but it is
not based upon sound logical principle
if its purpose is to procure the superces-
sion of Christopher Columbus by Lief in
the popular regard The same class of
reasoners are now arguing that Colum-
bus has no right to his proud position in
ing out against the injustice done Colun-
bus in giving to the new continent the
name of Amerigo Vespucci instead of his.
There Is little more danger that st.
Christopher will be disposSessed to make
IUOlIl AOL ~. AClA al IIlC CdlcIlOdl VI pn.
tron saints at this late day than that the
continent will be rechristened for the
sake of properly rebuking the self-ob-
trusiveness of Amerigo History has had
its perfect work in the case of Columbus.
There may nave been hundred discov-
cries of America before his time, but not
one of them left its mark in any perma-
,nent improvement of the country. 1t re-
manned for his touch to wake the New
World into life of its own. The fame
of his voyages spread over Europe and
reused the adventurous spirits of several
countries to emulate his experiments in
navigation and the territorial claims of
Spain in the Western Hemisphere stirred
the ambition of other powers to expand
their own dominions by similar means.
It was not till after Columbus return
that colonies began to settle in America
and set in motion the vast work of its
rescue from savage rule.
Give Lief, by all means, every jot of
the credit that belongs to him for the
happy accident which drove him upon
our shores, but reserve for Columbus the
higher tribute which should go to the
man who set out on his voyage with a
well-defined purpose and whose discov-
cry reversed the false scientific assump-
tions of his age and bore its direct fruit
celebration of the four hundredth ami
versary Of Columbus landing in 1892 will
not be interrupted by any sudden change
in the popular loyalty to the memory of
the great Genoese."