The Eighth Hungarian Tribe, 1983 (10. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1983-11-01 / 11. szám
November, 1983 THE EIGHTH HUNGARIAN TRIBE Page 9 Fund. (It was Cleveland who, as President, would proudly dedicate the Statue of Liberty at its opening celebration!) The future of the statue looked grim, indeed! JOSEPH PULITZER TO THE RESCUE In comparison to the generous response of the French people to the appeal of the French-American Union for funds with which to finance their Republic’s gift to the United States of America, the American response was so lukewarm as to be ridiculous. It was so ungenerous, in fact, that it verged on becoming a national disgrace threatening to tarnish America’s image around the world. Then one man stepped into the breach. He was Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian immigrant who had risen from poverty to become publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York World. This “Giant of American Journalism” decided to save the nation from the disgrace of refusing to put up enough money to finance the construction of the pedestal upon which Bartholdi’s great monument was to be ereted. Setting a goal of $100,000.00, his first editorial in the New York World — entitled “NEW YORK’S DUTY” — fired the opening round in his campaign. It struck home like a thunderbolt! Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) —Photo courtesy of the New York Historical Society Pulitzer appealed directly to the people. He offered the New York World’s offices to receive contributions — from $1.00 on up. “If the rich will not support us,” he wrote, “. . . let the poor move!” And move they did. The response of the “little people” was overwhelming. Still he hammered away: “Let us not wait for millionaires to give this money,” he thundered, “It is not a gift from the millionaires of France to the millionaires of America, but a gift of the whole people of France to the whole people of America!” The avalanche of contributions doubled. From every nook and cranny of the country — from school children, workers, unions, and small organizations — the pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and dollars poured in. Then, Pulitzer went after the “fat cats” with a scathing editorial. “It will always remain a matter of reproach to them,” he wrote, “that while the working men, women and children of the country were straining every nerve to raise this money they looked on with apathy that amounted to contempt. We say this deliberately and advisedly. In the opulent city of New York there is enough money wasted every day, in licentiousness, folly and shame, to build this Pedestal. And it is because the luxurious classes, whose dollars are given without stint to every ephemeral appeal to their vanity, show by their attitude at this time that an enduring patriotic sentiment makes no impression on them and arouses no feeling of emulation, that we make these remarks. ... It is simply disgraceful that the wealthiest city on the continent let the people scratch this money together, when an hour’s attention to it on the part of the rich would see the task consummated.” This editorial was followed by a cartoon, drawn by Walt McDougall, in which Vanderbilt, Field, and Gould — loaded down with bags of money and sporting diamond studs — cannot see a contribution box for the Statue because, instead of eyes, they have silver dollars. Appearing in the April 12, 1885, issue of the New York World, it threw Manhattan’s “400” into a dither. They had no recourse but to contribute, also. Consequently, on August 11, 1885, Pulitzer’s newspaper proudly announced that it had reached its goal of $100,000.00. It was contributed by 120,000 Americans. America’s heart now beat in tune with that of France! Thanks to Joseph Pulitzer! THE PEDESTAL GOES UP The American commitment to the Statue of Liberty project was only to finance and supervise the construction of the pedestal upon which it was to be placed. With the money raised by Joseph Pulitzer and financial assistance from other sources, this commitment could now be honored. Richard M. Hunt, the wellknown architect who had met Bartholdi earlier and had already prepared plans, was commissioned to design the 27 meter stone and concrete structure. A contractor was also hired for its construction. When the cornerstone was finally laid, coins, papers, documents, and a copy of the Declaration of Independence were placed into it. After Masonic Rites, oil, wine, and grain were poured on the edifice. This age-old ritual signified peace, prosperity, and a generous mankind. It was most fitting for “Miss Liberty.” Planted deep down in the bedrock of America, she would stand against time, the elements and tyranny.
