The Monument to the Fallen: Olympia’s Call to Honor Washington’s War Dead
A committee of eleven civic leaders has launched a campaign to erect a permanent memorial at the state capital for the volunteers who died in the Spanish-American and Philippine wars, arguing that their sacrifice demands an enduring tribute.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A MONUMENT AT OLYMPIA To Commemorate Dead of Washington Volunteers.
A movement has been inaugurated for the purpose of the erection of a monument at Olympia commemorating the dead of the brave boys of the Washington volunteers, and those who were killed when serving in the Philippine war. A committee of eleven has the matter in charge, and the following circular is being sent to the press of the State:
OLYMPIA, June 6.
The most precious possession of a people is the life of its citizens. When these lives are given up for the country's stability and prosperity, it is fitting that their memory should be perpetuated in some enduring manner. A large number of Washington's brave boys have been called upon to lay down their lives in the late war with Spain and in the Philippines. They have given all they possess for their country's cause. They should not be forgotten. The least the grateful people of this state can now do is to rear to their memory a monument that will tell in ever-enduring eloquence to future generations their honored names and their heroic deeds.
It is deemed proper to erect at the capital of this state a suitable shaft with appropriate inscriptions. To promote this object, a meeting of citizens was recently called at Olympia, which meeting appointed a committee of eleven and directed it to proceed in its own way to execute what is believed to be the wish of every patriotic citizen of the state.
That committee, as organized, is as appears upon this circular. The committee is now ready to begin work, the first part of which will be to gather necessary funds to aid in the erection of the monument. It is the desire of the committee that the people of the state be made acquainted with the proposition to pay tribute to the honored dead. As is usual with all public monuments—the price is paid by the many, its influence and character.
The committee has no doubt but that all will gladly contribute to the cause.
Thanking you in advance on behalf of the people of this state, I am, respectfully yours, J. O. SOPER, Chairman of Committee.
The committee of eleven is as follows: Phillip Shillington, representing G.A.R. Post No. 1; Col. C. V. Haynes, representing men of the Civil War; A. J. Walker, representing the profession; Mr. G. H. Burnham, representing W. I. C.; Mrs. A. R. Hall, representing D.A.R.; P. Hull, representing W. O. T.; Prof. F. Hawes, representing schools; Rev. H. L. Holmes, representing churches and church associations; Mrs. Gen. E. H. Fox, representing Ladies' Aid; C. J. Lord, representing business men; J. O'D. Hobart, representing Press.
In 1902, Washington state was still young enough that its war dead from the Spanish-American War were a fresh, unifying tragedy. This appeal to civic pride and patriotism mirrors modern efforts to memorialize local casualties of later conflicts, though today such debates often center on *which* stories are told in public spaces rather than just whether they are told at all.
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