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.