Letter by Nancy C. Russell to Mr. Malcolm S. MacKay; tells MacKay that they must keep prodding the state of Montana or work will begin on the unsatisfactory statue of Charles M. Russell. Typed on both front and back (TU2009.39.993.1-TU2009.39.993.2).

[1] Pasadena, California. April 29, 1931. Mr. Malcolm S. Mac Kay, 14 Wall Street, New York City, New York. Dear Malc: I am enclosing a “Right Privilege” on the St. Joe Lead Company stock. I don’t know whether I should or should not take it up so I am sending the blank signed and you use your judgment for me as you have heretofore. I should like to tell you one thing – I am going to need $2,000.00 of the money deposited in your company for some repairs and changes I had to make here at Trail’s End. I hope you have written the Governor your protest about that statue. Apparently they think in Montana that they have chosen wisely. They don’t understand what is required in a piece of work to scale up artistically and truthfully and it is evident they are hanging to the statement made by Lorado Taft to Mrs. Lincoln when she carried her little model three hundred miles or more to have it criticized by him. No great artist is going to knock an amateur if he can help it. I wired Lorado Taft as the enclosed copy shows and his answer is also attached with the definition of “uncon- ventionally” taken from the Fine Arts of a dictionary. It sounds soft in a telegram but it doesn’t look soft in the definition. I didn’t know what it meant until I looked it up. We certainly have got to keep prodding or I fear work will be started on that model. I don’t believe it could possibly be placed in the Hall of Fame and it would be a shame for Montana to spend that a- mount of money for something that will not pass the jury in Washington. I have written to Senator Walsh as I told you in a former letter; also to Dr. Hagner but you are a big taxpayer in Montana. Tell them how much land you own and how long you knew Charlie. They will know you belong in Montana. It seems to bad to have to do this although I started the thing without the assistance of Charlie’s friends, the cause is liable to struggle and die. Mr. Malcolm S. MacKay -2- Maybe you know Mr. Leppert, the Art Editor for the Literary Digest. Charlie and I have known him for years. If you are going down Fourth Avenue in New York, go in and see him and talk with him about the thing. I sent him the editorial and the first protest out of the “Los Angeles Times” hoping he would reprint at least part of it. If interest is shown by other people aside from me, it will help. Just leave my name out of any communication but, of course you savy that, unless it is an intimate friend. I hope you had an opportunity to talk to Grinnell and Mr. Quantrell. If you think of any one to whom I should send clippings, or ask for assistance in this thing, I would be so glad if you let me know. My bestest love to Helen and you all. Sincerely, Encl. 2

[Transcribed by Lauren B. Gerfen, 2012-11-14]

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