Show r Crowded Notables 1 r r afi e r 1 iI r n. n Ct 49 j L LY Lr r Y f y r t 1 7 w S 1 4 1 C o oa a r y tid 4 a s W r t 4 By EL ELMO 10 SCOTT WATSON HE lIE recent unveiling of a n statue ofAl ot of Al Alexander e evice Hamilton Stephens 1 ice vice president t of the Confederacy q rep representative and senator from i Georgia and governor of that state in Statuary I Hall Hayti in the national na na- J Capitol Washington at has hns r added one more mare to the list list of of r American notables who are lion Hon Honored ored med there This ceremony- ceremony also brought sharply to the attention of the pu public the fact that our notables are beV becoming be becoming V coming a n bit crowde 1 in this national shrine and that before long congress will have on its hands a dS another housing problem that problem that of pro providing adequate space for tn in enduring bronze or stone the achievements 0 of some of our most distinguished citizens The law of 1864 which provided for a statuary statu are ary hall ball in the Capitol gave gae each state the privilege privilege lege of ot honoring two of its noted citizens with places ces in this national collection Since there are 48 states In the Union n the number therefore may reach a maximum of 90 G. G As a n matter of 01 fact the addition of the Stephens Stephen statue brings the number there now up to only 53 53 but already i the the crowding Is becoming evident evidene Those In in- Installed r 1 I i stalled to date form a complete circle closely closer s spaced around the walls of ot the hall with several se o standing out in front cf of those against the wall The Thc main corridor extending from the senate wing of the Capitol to the house wing passes through the center of St Statuary tu rY Hall Ball H Hk all and although al- al k- k though there still Is some rome open space near near the he f 7 center the placing cf vf more statu statues s would give L appearance Indeed the chamBer a crowded While the situation has not yet et become acute It may soon b become come so for at least five the more states stales are said to be preparing to fill their niches However officials in charge of the Capitol ha have hae e w been discussing the problem and expect to have ha havea haver 0 r shall arise One a n solution ready when the need suge suggestion bg is that the statues be extended along the corridors running north and south from the hall but even this may not provide enough space Another proposal Is to make use se of the crypt of the Capitol a large vault like chamber beneath the hall Itself and one of the oldest portions of 01 the building If It this Is done it will be necessary to tn redecorate the crypt and install an adequate lighting s system stem In Installing the statue s of Alexander Stephens tilt the state of Georgia has filled fille her allotment of vo i niches A year ago It filled the first one arid and honored the medical profession by presenting t I tl jo the nation naHon a statue of Dr Crawford Williamt William William- lam I t sin Long a ri country doctor who Is declared by bl many authorities to have ha discovered the value of 01 anesthesia In tn surg surgical caI operations as a preventative prevents prevents- the live of pain although his claim to that honor bonor fa 1 I disputed The other man for whom It is claimed also Is honored in Statuary Hall Massachusetts in ha having erected there n a statue of William T. T G. G I jj 1 Morton a dentist of Boston Doton 1 The statue of Stephens carved ed by Gutzon BO from Georgia Georgin marble is a fine memorial to JJ a man who w was s not only the most distinguished l Georgian of his time but who was also a n na nn national figure He Ie was born February 11 1812 at CI 1 Ga and was graduated from the University of G Georgia in 1832 Ph Physically frail but mentally a giant ie e a soon made himself L known as a member of the general assembly when in tile the summer of 1836 he made an Impassioned speech in favor of the building by the state 01 ol the Western and Atlantic railroad which Is today state owned property and a of reat sour source e great revenue revenue reve re nue Due to Georgia On November 14 1860 be made another memorable memorable able speech at the thc state capitol at Milledgeville when the Georgians were considering the question of of whether or not their state should secede from flom I the Union Stephens made an eloquent plea for fora a solemn consideration of such a momentous step before It was taken and anel stated that be he wn was wap- not then for secession Other coun counsels els however prevailed and Georgia did dill leave the Union And f t when the Confederate States of America were were organized this man who had hud opposed secession was elected vice Ice president and served In that position throughout the war although h his constant con con- slant stant etri was to bring about a n reconciliation between the North and und the South Arrested ut lit the close of oj th the war and anel imprisoned om for ft lice fire re months he heas was as released l in October i. and returned to Georgia where new honor honors t r. r F awaited him film He lie was elected to the United States senate In 1866 but was not seated Later I in 1873 there was no n objection to 10 his taking a 8 r seat feat in the lower house of congress as the representative rep ep of a Georgia district and he served there until 1882 when he wa was s elected governor go of Georgia It In r was this thi capacity that he wen to Savannah Sa In February 1883 to make a It speech at a t the celebration eh of the sesquicentennial of the city It was a 0 raw and find Inclement day Mr Stephens caught cold and und returning to Atlanta died Marsh March 4 1883 MI Mississippi and Su South nth Carolina two other either tot for m. m mer federate states are also preparing to fil BI their niches In Statuary Hall HaIl with memorials tc lc I 1 cHIr citizens ns s who were no Dol only i h J. J r f. f L Lii ii j it b I 11 n. n t. t t w k e ew 4 w t. i t r I j 1 rt 1 vr GrAN A r. r tT F f nent in the war of 01 61 to 10 03 J but also men of ot national significance South C Carolina Is already represented there by a statue of John C. C Cal Cal- houn noun senator and vice president of the United States and s she e is planning to give gi the other place to Wade Hampton soldier and statesman He was a distinguished cavalry leader lender during the war governor go of his state from to 1878 and later a senator From Mississippi authorities at atthe atthe atthe the Capitol are expecting to receive some time in the f future ture statues of Jefferson Davis an officer officer om eer in the Mexican Mc war secretary of war and president of the Confederacy and J. J Z George a former senator from Mississippi Kentucky has taken preliminary steps toward filling Its two niches Contrary to what might be expected Daniel Boone will not occupy one of ot them Instead they will be filled by Henry HenryClay HenryClay HenryClay Clay the great statesman and Dr Ephriam McDowell McDowell Mc Mc- Dowell who won fame as a surgeon North Carolina Carolina Caro Caro- lina Una has filled only one of its niches and that rith with a statue of Zebulon B B. B Vance soldier and statesman A number of other states northern r middle west we-st. western ern and western have ha not yet made their decisions decisions de de- in this matter but at least two two have ha recently chosen their representatives for this honor California alifornia has selected Rev Hev Thomas Starr Stan King minister lecturer and author and Father rp Serra a Franciscan missionary The next statue to be unveiled In Statuary Hall probably probably ably will be Wisconsin's contribution Senator contribution Senator Robert M. M LaFollette who died in 1925 after along n a long public career His nis statue Is Is now v being completed completed com com- In Paris by the thc famous sculptor Jo To David Davidson son and may be put In place this year It will show the famous orator of the senate in a seated pose Incidentally the only other seated statues tues In Statuary Hall tall are that of of Robert Hobert Fulton one one of 11 Penn las la's notables and the recently dedicated dedi dedicated dedicated Stephens statue The le legislation creating a national statuary hall hail hall hallin V in what had been the old hall of the house of ot representatives es grew out of a suggestion made as early as 1854 by GoU erner Kemble a at former member of the house from New Xe York But no action on the matter was taken take until te ten years later when Representative Morrill of Vermont offered a resolution providing for such a hall and another New cw En Englander r Representative e Rice nice of Maine reported it from Joint point committee In support of his resolution Morrill had said The expansion of ot our country from the old thirteen thirteen thir thir- teen to thirty six states Imposed upon us the burden burden burden bur bur- den as well as IS the privilege of building and ex tending a n structure for tor the accommodation of the legislative bran branches hes of ot the government and appropriate appropriate appropriate ap ap- ap- ap for tor the of the foi to lost host republic of the world This work worle Is now nr Dr reaching completion com com- It appears to me eminently pi therefore therefore there there- fore rore that tha f this house should take tatie the Initiative In Insetting Insetting insetting setting apart with reverent affection the old hallof hall hal hallof of the house of representatives so so charged with precious memories to some gome purpose of usefulness usefulness useful useful- ness and dignity To what hat end and nd more useful or grand errand and at the same time simple and Inexpensive sive can we devote It than to ordain that It shall be set apart for the reception of such statuary as at each state shall elect to be deserving of this lastIng lasting last ing comm commemoration Will trill not all the states with emulation proudly respond and thus fur fur- furnish nish a anew nl new w evidence that the Union will clasp and hold forever nil all Its Jewels the Jewels the glories of the past civil militArY and judicial Judicial Judicial-In In one hallowed spot where those thos who will II be here to aid In carrying on the government nt may dally daily receive fresh Inspirations inspirations and new new Incentives This Th was n a time when patriotic feeling ran high h nod and con congress reiS quickly passed the resolution For this chamber where the lower house of congress contress con con- I tress gress ress met net fel cor JQ 10 Listen maling years was par par- 11 e i J i F j jI t I i i- i h 11 l I 1 i 4 A t r pl appropriate as m a u memorial hall In Uh thi words of ot Gilbert GIo Grosvenor president of the National National Na Na- Geographic society Here Lincoln John Quincy Adams Horace Greeley Greeley Gree Gree- ley and Andrew Johnson served In the same congress con con- gress Here Henry Clay welcomed Lafayette who replied In a speech said to have been written by Clay Here John Marshall administered the oath of office to Madison and Monroe When In 1825 the house balloted In this room for President John Quincy Adams won over Andr Andrew V Jackson The former the only man to be elected to the house after being President was stricken with paralysis suddenly In this chamber after delivering de de- livering an Impassioned address the latter while President narrowly escaped an assassin upon leavIng leaving leaving leav leav- ing this room where he he bad attended the funeral of a congressional friend A bronze star marks the location of Adams' Adams desk The star happens also to den denote ole a spot where one may hear the whisper of ot a friend who stands In the corre corresponding position on the opposite opposite site side of the hall Move a away way from tram the spot and the speakers speaker's voice olce rails falls to carry even when he be speaks loudly Closed to visitors now is the narrow gallery of ol the old house reached by dark tortuous steps worn deep b by the tread of ot many feet In this gallery gallery gal gal- al lery Dickens gleaned notes noten for tor his comments comment on OD Americas America's congress He called Washington a 3 cSt city of ot magnificent Intentions Close your eyes and see John Randolph stalk In with squirrel cap and home homespun pun suit white boots boot and Jingling spurs he has hap Just jus I galloped through h muddy streets from flom Georgetown lown Throwing cap ap and coat to his desk he drink drinks a glass of ot porter handed him by an attendant and cuts In on any debate in thin querulous piping voice Here Her another another another an an- other type of orator Edward Everett Ferett Just lust out nf of the pulpit charmed his henr rs For some years religious services were held In Inthe Inthe Inthe the old hall of ot representatives representative on Sunday afternoons afternoons after after- no ns Lincoln attended them during the tho war period pe pe- when the hall was crowded because mane churches churchE's had been converted into barracks The floor of this room room was raised to Its present level le when the hall was li converted con Into an American Ameri Amen can We Westminster abbey Tradition has It that the lower level of ot the old floor led to the popular designation lesh atlon of ot the house houe of representatives ap th tho lower house It Is interesting to note that despite the patriotic patri otic otie impulse which created Statuary Hall the responses of the states to the Invitation to honor their distinguished citizens were not as prompt as might have been expected Rhode Island was the ther first r t to respond by sending statues of Its founder Roger Williams and Its hero of ot the Revolution Nathaniel Greene However after the lapse ol of 19 W years ears from the time of the erection of the first stat statue e but 18 statues were to be found In the hall and rind even after more than 30 years there were but 21 1 monuments in position At that time 1895 lS 5 the display was so small that It was thought hardly sufficient to give the large space allotted a proper dignity as a collection of statu statu- ary In order to make the barren appearance less noticeable other statues such as those of Jefferson Jeffer Jeffer- son Hamilton Baker and Lincoln a plaster statue of ot Washington and busts of Lincoln Kosciuszko Kos Kos- O Pulaski and Crawford were exhibited there Since that time however the states states' have responded with more alacrity to the opportunity To Illinois goes the honor honors honorl of being th the first to honor a woman woman Frances rances E. E and and to Oklahoma the first to honor a real American Sequoyah the Inventor of the Cherokee alphabet Soldiers statesmen ministers pioneer and others whose services t to their states have have been gt great eat have been Immortalized there and the renewal of interest in Statuary Hall Hal which seems now apparent apparent apparent ap ap- ap parent Ie Is In 1 1928 1925 8 likely i to give the place as much mach machof of an over over- supply oversupply of statues as Og It had an undersupply undersupply under under- undersupply supply a third oi of a century BiG ago 5 i jt L j Lk ll j t ki i iVI VI 1 t d |