Evening star., 1943-04-04
Capital Side|ights
By Will P. kennedu.


blcentennlal Of Thomas Jefferson, with
the dedication Of the classic jefferson
Memorial scheduled for April 13, sug-
gests joint tribute to two men promi-
nent in Washington, who, above all
others, made possible the erection of
the memorial-the late Representative
John j. Boylan of New York, who labored
zealously for years to get the authorizing
legislation approved by Congress and
who was the first chairman of the
Thomas jefferson Memorial Commission
which selected the design, and Joseph P.
Tumulty, most closely associated with
Representative Boylan in this patriotic
service.
Both Mr. Boylan and Mr.. Tumulty,
close personal and political friends for
more than three decades were men Of
broad human sympathies and patriotic
DEVOTION who reverenced the leadership
of jefferson in the formative days OF
this Nation. They both were ldeallsts
both determined that Jefferson should
have the tardy justice OF a fitting memo
rial marking the fifth most important
commemorative site in the Capital CITY.
Memorial services for Representative
Bovlan were held in the House on May
30, 1899, when a resolution of the Thomas
jefferson Memorial Commission was
presented, stating that: THE fine con-
cept which brought this commission
into being came from Mr. Boylan, true
lover of Thomas Jefferson and OF the
principles he espoused in life. Mr..
Bovlan brought to the deliberations OF
this commission not only the knowledge
and ripe experience acquired in many
years of public service, but also those
qualities of integrity and sound Judg-
ment so necessary to the faithful dis
charge of his duties as member OF the
commission. He did what was char
acteristic of the man-he gave to It's
noble work the rare gift of life, love
and affection, and though i'll and suffer-
ing he carried on iii splendid fashion
the important work committed to his
care with fine poise and patience and
with never boast on his lips
Mr.. Tumulty, former confidential sec
retary to Governor. and later President
Woodrow Wilson, who for many years
had supported and counseled Mr.. Boy
Ian in his jefferson Memorial objec-
tive. spoke feelngly in part as follows:
This plain man. born in an unpre-
tentious part of the city of New York,
wearing upon his good face the smudge
of honest poverty, dreamed a beau
tlful dream of memorial in Wash
ington to Thomas Jefferson. Quietly.
unostentatiously, ne went about his
work, scorning vulgar display, happy in
the thought that after he had departed
there would be left behind those who
would not mock the thing that his
vision built to an unmeasured monument.
ut was pleasure to work with him,
to sit by his side as I was accustomed
to do while quietly, humbly he expressed
his views regarding every phase of our
commissions activities. Always he
gained his fine objective by openness and
honorable action, his fine nature making
1t impossible for him ever to use un-
worthy arguments to accomplish his
humane objectives.
when the jefferson Memorial is COM
pleted, there will be one name, like that
of Abou ben Adhem, which will lead the
list and that name will be our altogether
lovely friend, John Boylan. AS we be-
hold that name, the words of John
DrinkWater will flash into our minds:
"'Shall man understand,
He shall know bitterness because his
kind,
Being perplexed of mind,
Hold issues even that are nothing
mated.
And he shall give
Counsel out of his wisdom that none
shall hear,
And steadfast in vain persuasion must
he live,
And unabated
Shall his temptation be-
"As personality, he had about him
the grandeur of the old-fashioned man,
with a noble vision directed into the
far reaches of the future
John Galsworthy must have had this
type of man in mind when he drew a
portrait of an old friend In the story
"A Portrait, an excerpt from which is as
follows:
Il know how big and sane and sweet
he was. His breed is dying now, 1t has
nearly gone But as remember him
with that great quiet forehead, with his