| Show l Public ic Jil Memorials THE academic discussions which took place during the winter b th in and out of or the ilic Legislature as to whether memorials should take the form of buildings building or sculpture is not half haIr so important as that vc we should have ha more o of both kin kinds s. s Down through the thc centuries Cl C every ci civilized nation has not hunt only onh celebrated its victories in but those of well lJ which no noless noless war peace as w frequently are arc arc no less tess renowned OWned with monuments in commemoration They arc are emblems of or patriotism and antI are arc generally constructed constructed con con- in enduring marble granite and bronze c so o that generations who come afterward mn may r rejoice in the thc sentiment sentiment sentiment sen sen- which impelled their construction and may appreciate ap ap- appreciate predate their artistic merit It is in the highest degree essential therefore that monuments expected to endure shall shan be hc artistic The rhe recent world worl war has brought this subject sharply to the attention of the time patriotic communities ties of the thc United Limited States and plans are arc being evolved c subscriptions taken ant and appropriations by public bodies made to pay fitting tribute tributo to their heroic dead It is pleasing to note that thaL a portion of the municipal bond on issue of Salt Lake is City C City is being reserved reser for the erection of or contribution toward a soldiers sailors and marines marines' memorial buil ipg There is no denying ell ing that our city famed the world o over oer er for its wide streets its greenery and foliage its great tabernacle with its great reat or Ol ari and in ninny other unique and attractive respects is regretfully deficient in public memorials With a civilization going on seventy seventy- two years the time only really worthy public monuments we have c arc are Dallin's Dallin 5 monument to Brigham ham Young and nna the thc pioneers at Main and South Temple streets erected by public subscription more than twenty years ago and those b by Mahonri Young within the thi Temple block Mock enclosure en ell- closure and which include e statues of Joseph Josephm and Hyrum H Smith and the beautiful monument to the seagulls Two or three years ago a handful of women Daugh Daugh- Daughters tern of the Mormon Battalion conce conceived c an au ideal They wanted to commemorate the achievements of their fat fathers fathers fa fa- t in a n. historic monument to he be erected on the grounds of the State Capitol The fhe Legislature at that time sup supported supported ported them and the project was well wen on its way when the governor threw a temporary wet blanket over oYer it b by proposing that it be merge merged with a n- memorial bunting building both hoth to the battalion and lo tu the Utah tali buys boys who fe fell I in inthe in inthe the various wars which have c occurred s since Utah was vas settled Fortunately through tho the efforts of the chairman chairman chairman chair chair- man man of tho the Mormon Battalion Monument commission commiss on Hon HOlL B B. 11 U. Roberts and nUll other others the tile status of this memorial remains as ns it was before the last L Legislature met met met- of state funds being available R when at least another another an an- oth other r is raised by hy subscription No doubt the governor was sincere sincere in the conviction that the state could not afford to lend its assistance to too many Tem mU movements of or this nature and that there haying hay hav- ing so man many achievements worth worthy of commemoration commemoration commemoration tion his shrewd business acumen deemed it advisable nd to Jump lump them all and have the thing thine done one once and for allin all allin in ill a grand memorial huil building that might epitomize eVer every every- tiling g In in history past history pa past t present and mill to come owe But that is not the way memorials arc built It lacks locks the the- element of public spontaneity t As u a rule an idea i is seized upon b by a man or a n woman or a community that some deed eed of or daring or 01 heroism or of sacrifice or 01 of or beneficence is worthy of commemoration in bronze l or marble or concrete or in some other enduring way war and aud the memorial al Is is realized realized real real- through appeals to other persons or 01 communities wh who are arc similarly min minded e Committees are arc appointed funds are arc raised and the tile project is put through sometimes some some- times l with ith municipal or state ai aid but oftener not A At l least ast such has been the time method metho pursued that has resulted in rut the hc emplacement of monuments and triumphal arches fountains towers gates gales bridges etc in parks and pub b- b I I I lie lic places and at nt almost every ever J turn of the ron road in ru many of our great grent cities hall ball in To 10 sa say we w will erect one b big memorial of nil all our achievements e and 1 in memory of all our illustrious il illustrious il- il lend dead and let it go bu at tha for the sake u ol of f economy ma may be driving n a goo good business bargain hargain but hilt it will fail to satisfy the tue patriotic the aesthetic the altruistic impulses of our citizenry Of course ours is a n comparatively ne country and we nc have ha hitherto been much engaged ed in earning a livelihood yet et t the h bitter fact fad remains that a n better beginning be be- ginning ought ht to have have- been heen made in the artistic adornment adornment adornment adorn adorn- ment of r o our r parks parl s and aud thoroughfares with public me me- Tn In this r respect wo we do 10 not Dot measure up at all with other cities of our size and importance and tra tradition i- i tion lion in time the United Slates States Long ago there should ll have c been erected a monument meat ment n 1 to lford Woodruff that sturdy pioneer at Pioneer park formerly known ns as the Old Ohl Fort Block in recognition of his prow prowess s and aull front p in in building building- a 10 log loo hut but there then in the fall of 1817 l ong ago ngo there should have ha been heen erected a monument to Maude Adams the greatest of or mo modern ern American actresses near the entrance to 10 Libert Liberty park which is in the immediate neighborhood of her birthplace the birthplace the old home of her grandfather grand frit her Pioneer Barney Adams Long a ago o there should have been heen erected on lower logger Main limn street n a mon mou monument anent to Gen P. P E Edward Connor who history records is entitled to the thc honor of having opened the first mines in Utah Long ago there should have ha been erected a great cat memorial building l in iu which to lo house the excellent excellent excellent excel excel- lent exhibits of the Deseret Museum with such sueh elaboration dab club oration as its ils proponents might have sug suggested There Thero are amp manY ninny many other memorials that should have ha taken form long ago o g-o but it is never too late to men mend nn and steps ought to 10 be taken to remedy the omissions of the last sl generation in this important all-important respect Pa Pa Rn 1 Ra 7 |
