C HARLE S FO LLlE N M c K I M . M E M O R I A L M E E T I N G AMERI CAN I NSTITUTE O F ARC HITECTS r r d r k Pe fection in whateve he un e too . — W1L L 1AM RUTHE RF ORD M E AD . THE C O RCO R A N G A LLE R Y O F A RT W S G A HI N T O N . D . C . D EC E M BE R I S. 19 0 9 THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS THE OCTAGON D . C . GLENN BROWN Edito r . D. C . GIBSON BROS PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS l 9 l 0 LIST OF ADDRESSES. I I M H W F W LL A O ARD TA T, ‘ ’ President ofthe Umted S tates . U OO ELIH R T, t tates S enator ofthe Uni ed S . O PH HODG C J SE ES HOATE, - Ambas s ador to Gr at B ritain 1 8 1 0 . e , 99 9 5 C G B ASS IL ERT, ' s Am rican I mtztute o Architects Pr id nt . e e , e f WI I M RU H F O D LL A T ER R MEAD , A A d m in Rom Pr s id nt m rican ca e . e e , e e y UT S OF RESPEC TRIB E T. M Y ART THE N ATI ON AL ACADE OF . H M N M Y OF A S AN D T E A ERICA ACADE RT LETTERS . TH N TION I N I U OF A AN D E A AL ST T TE RTS LETTERS . OI N T C I ON OF F OUR N N W Y ORK ART I TI J A T TEE E SOC E ES . TH TION M Y OF D IG E N A AL ACADE ES N . H CU P U Y T E N ATION AL S L T RE SOCIET . TH ' N Y OF U P E N ATIO AL SOCIET M RAL AIN TERS . TH A CHI C U A AGU OF N W Y K E R TE T R L LE E E OR . H Y ARVARD UN IVERSIT . B Y COLUM IA UN IVERSIT . D M Y I R THE AM ERI CAN ACA E N OM E . E'HB O I HE CTAGO I ITI N N T O N . TH K I WO OF MCK I M M AD 8: WH TE . E R , E D D Y V I NG I O WE N ES A E EN SESS N . H A RI A I TI T T F AR HI T T E ME C N NS U E O C ECTS . ’ D C M B 1 1 0 AT I O O K P M E E ER 5 , 9 9 , CLOC . R H R F R HAR F K I M AD D O M . C O M ESSES ON O LES LLEN C . PRESI DEN T CASS GI LBERT : I have t h e honor t o int roduce t he Pre si of h t d t at d ent t e Uni e S es . TH PR D NT OF TH UN T D T T E ESI E E I E S A ES, H N B W AM H D TAFT O ORA LE ILLI OWAR . ADIES AND GENTLEM EN : We are here to do honor to the memory of an u fie American I eader in one of the great arts . I do not feel j sti d in saying ' Mr M cK im much with respect to . , for the reason that period of my _ the acquaintance with him and friendship for him was very short . My acquaintance him f War with arose rom the fact that I was Secretary of , and had to do with that oflicial plan in an way which he held most dear , I think , of all the subjects to — which he devoted his great artistic genius the plan for carrying onward the H . e t design with respect to Washington was sensi ive , as I presume most snfi ered geniuses and men of talent are, and he much as he ran against that abruptness and cocksureness that we are apt to find in the neighborhood of i Wash ngton both in the Executive and the Legislative branches . Hew as the last eocks ureness person to give you the impression that he had either abruptness or , d ’ but I on t know any one who , when he had set his mind at a thing and had deter e u d s s mined to r ach a res lt , had more stea fastne s and manife ted more willingness s M r M cK im to use every possible mean to achieve his purpose than . ’ a I don t know whether I d re tell a story with reference to him , which , as a am member of the Cabinet , I able to certify is true ; but it illustrates his qualities to such a degree that perhaps I may be pardoned for going into the co nfid ences of a Cabinet of an administration . ’ Mal Mr McK im s i The l was . chief anxiety lest Congress should forget that mpor cel l ar and f n tant pa rt of the plan of the improvement of Washington . The the ou D m dation for the Agricultural epart ent Building had been begun , and some ’ Mr McK im s or expended when it came to . knowledge that the building, if fe erected according to that plan, would be a few feet too high and a w feet too near c it a the center , and he ame to prevent . The Secret ry of Agriculture was not dis f posed to regard that variation rom the plan as substantial , and was very much opposed to the change . M m r. McKi . Mr. came to me, after Root left the Cabinet , as his only true sym h z er P pat i and friend, and asked me to speak to the resident , whom he also regarded n co v incm . o as a friend and sympathizer, but one who at times needed g S I went to see the President and explained to him the situation , and he at once agreed that “ ” “ it h e we ought to change . But , said , the trouble is with Uncle Jimmy, who He n . a has a real cause of complaint says that these architects have del yed too lo g , and the public money cannot be wasted and expended in this way . “ “ ’ W l ' sort and e l , said , can t we call a council , or something of that , solemnly ” final l ? sit on the subject , and then y reach the right conclusion ‘ “ ” We r cK im . M He . said , can , and we will , and we did M was of counsel and M M K s. r c im P s . Mr. Green and two or three other The re ident took to task at once 0 60 co m at the audacity of architects who wait 3 and days , until plans have been W l et ed . p , and then come in and attempt to make a change ell , that was not a very am M K im u d c . good beginning , and I afrai that our brother thought the jig was p But it so suited the Secretary of Agriculture that when there appeared a suggestion f w sacrificed rom an engineer that possibly not or ould be , but an economy might be introduced in another way, the Secretary , at the suggestion or the P invitation of the resident , said that he thought possibly it might be worked out P e did id that way, but the r sident insisted that if we , we d not intend to waive the criticism that wehad to make against the profession of architec ts by reason of their A nd . delay . so we separated v McK im The agricultural building was mo ed . and I walked up the steps of “ Mr M m ' D t . cK i the War epar ment I said , , I congratulate you on your victory . “ ' He k ? turned and loo ed at me a moment , and said , Was it a victory Another ” am an such and I dead . But it was a victory , d it illustrates his character in quietly ’ pushing and pushing and pushing for the highest ideals of his art fand insisting on was s everything that be t , and in yielding in nothing that seemed to him a detriment and a retrograde step . c ul No one o d come in contact with him and not feel that generous, disinterested Spirit of his in favor of the promotion of all art, and his willingness to devote time ff and e ort to promote it everywhere . I had the honor to appoint him as a member of the Board to assist the Secretary 6 e c of War in pres rving what we ould of the scenery of Niagara , and he devoted a c great deal of time, with very little compensation , to planning out what ould be done on the American side of the river so that the people on the other side should not think it was the back yard of the United States . And so it was with respect to everything that came out of his character to one who had to deal with him in public matters .