The McKinley Memorial Arch
A MEMORIAL ARCH in honor of President McKinley, in sight of the
White House and the Capitol, erected by the contributions of all
the people, seems a most appropriate expression of their unexampled
affection for him. It is the object of the William McKinley National
Memorial Arch Association to secure, by a national popular subscription,
the construction of such a memorial in the city of Washington. The
Association was organized and incorporated as the result of a mass-meeting
of citizens of the District of Columbia. It was natural that the
national capital should present this project to the country, for
it is to be a national movement.
The national character of the organization
is well illustrated by its list of officers. Henry B. F. Macfarland,
President of the Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia,
is President; Lyman J. Gage, Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States, is Treasurer; Thomas F. Walsh, of Colorado, is Secretary.
The National Vice-Presidents are:
Chief Justice Melville W. Fuller, Admiral George Dewey, General
Nelson A. Miles, Cardinal Gibbons, Bishop Henry C. Potter, Bishop
Edward G. Andrews, Rabbi E. G. Hirsch, Dr. Francis E. Clark, President
of the United Societies of Christian Endeavor; Miss Helen Miller
Gould, Mrs. Charles W. Fairbanks, President-General of the Daughters
of the American Revolution; Mrs. George M. Sternberg, President-General
of the Children of the American Revolution; Mrs. Phoebe A. Hearst,
of California; Walter S. Logan, President-General of the Sons of
the American Revolution; John Lee Carroll, General President of
the Sons of the Revolution; Eli Torrance, Commander-in-Chief of
the General Army of the Republic; General John B. Gordon, Commander
of the United Confederate Veterans; John M. Schofield, Commander-in-Chief
of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion; J. Edwin Brown, National
Commander of the Union Veteran Legion; Robert St. G. Dyrenforth,
Commander-in-Chief of the Union Veterans’ Union; E. R. Campbell,
Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Veterans; W. H. Hubbell, Commander-in-Chief
of the Society of Spanish War Veterans; President Eliot, of Harvard
University; President Patton, of Princeton University; President
Harper, of the University of Chicago; President Jordan, of Stanford
University; Rector Conaty, of the Catholic University of America.
President Roosevelt is an honorary
member of the Association, having duly accepted his election and
thereby expressed his approval of the movement. The Secretary of
the Treasury, Honorable Lyman J. Gage, in taking the office of Treasurer
brought strength to the cause as a representative of the Administration
of President McKinley as well as of that of President Roosevelt,
and the other members of the present Cabinet have been made honorary
members.
The question of where the Arch is
to be placed in Washington cannot be definitely determined now.
But the preference of the Association is to place it at the Washington
approach to the proposed Memorial Bridge across the Potomac, which
is to connect Washington with Arlington Cemetery.
The arch will be the first memorial
arch in Washington, and its size and character will be entirely
worthy of its purpose and its position. It will be an object of
especial interest to the constantly increasing number of visitors
who come up to the national capital from all the States and Territories,
and who would not see it if it were placed anywhere else. It will
be a gratification to millions who have enshrined President McKinley’s
memory in their hearts.
In order to answer numerous inquiries
which will doubtless recur in innumerable cases, I quote the following
from the official statement of the purpose of the Association:
“Contributors to its fund will be
made members of the William McKinley Memorial Arch Association.
The Treasurer, Hon. Lyman J. Gage, Secretary of the Treasury of
the United States, Washington, D. C., will receive all contributions
and will forward certificates of membership to all contributors.
Contributions of money may be handed to postmasters, managers of
telegraph, telephone and express offices, or deposited with banks
or other financial institutions, and newspapers. They are hereby
authorized and requested to receive and transmit contributions to
the Treasurer. The Association heartily invites and confidently
expects the coöperation of the Governors of States and Territories,
of the Mayors of Cities, and all other public officials, of the
press of the country, of the churches, colleges and schools, and
of all organized societies; and requests that they will take immediate
action to promote its objects by making and securing subscriptions.
All communications except remittances should be addressed to Thomas
F. Walsh, Secretary, Washington, D. C.
|