From: indigo

Well, since we've had such good debate from the article about the Shedd, I thought you might find value in this.



--------------------
Battle lines drawn over Lincoln library boss
--------------------

Preservationists push for scholar

By Christi Parsons, Tribune staff reporter. Tribune political reporter Rick Pearson contributed to this report

October 5, 2001

SPRINGFIELD -- The first phase of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library won't open to the public for at least another year, but the $115 million project already has inspired a passionate and uncivil war over who should run the world's largest repository of Lincoln artifacts.

On one side are historic preservationists who fought for years to formally recognize the nation's 16th president with a library and museum aimed at combining the best of scholarship and tourism.

On the other is Gov. George Ryan, who has been a driving force in making the concept a reality. But he also has raised the prospect that political spoils could dictate who and how the institution will be run long after Ryan retires from politics at the end of his term in early 2003.

While some longtime supporters of the project think the state should have already launched a nationwide search for a renowned scholar to head the library, Ryan is leaving open all options--including a controversial one to appoint his own chief-of-staff, Robert Newtson, to the post.

It is the possibility of a Newtson appointment that has left many academics and politicians fretting over whether the lame-duck governor may compromise the scholarly mission of the institution by turning it into a patronage haven to reward loyal staffers.

"You should bring in a professional--someone who has experience in running a museum, who has historic credentials," said former Gov. Jim Edgar, who launched the project during his tenure. "I don't really know anyone inside of state government who has those credentials...and it should not, in any sense, become a dumping ground for political appointees."

Newtson, Ryan's point man on the project, doesn't deny that he might be interested in the job, though he qualifies the rumor by saying he will apply "if there is a job that is of interest to me."

Potential conflict of interest

At present, Newtson is heavily involved in helping draft the job description, and Ryan has called him "certainly qualified" for the job. That concerns some who note a potential conflict because Ryan's office is actively working to raise private money for the project, such as the $1 million donated on Thursday by Caterpillar Inc. of Peoria.

"You must avoid a situation where anyone uses the office of the governor to raise private funds from which they later personally profit," said U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-Ill.). Fitzgerald brought work on the Senate floor to a virtual standstill last year as he demanded safeguards to keep the project from turning into a Ryan boondoggle.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), who initiated federal funding for the project, said that because of the complex nature of the director's job, the state should run a national search now.

"The person who would take on that job really has to combine some exceptional talents," Durbin said. "A good administrator, a person who understands tourism, a person who is at least sensitive to, if not expert in, the legacy of Lincoln, and one who can help raise funds. I think that's a pretty tall request."

Everyone gets a say

Rep. Ray LaHood, a Peoria Republican whose congressional district also includes portions of Springfield, said he has received assurances from Ryan's administration that the choice of a director will be decided after a variety of groups with an interest in the project have their say.

"Right now I feel comfortable that there will be other people consulted with and other people will have input," LaHood said. "But if it's just the governor who is making the decision, I'm going to raise holy hell."

But the Ryan administration has already shown signs of backing down on some of its commitments.

In seeking federal funding for the project, LaHood and others in Congress were told that the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency would be put in charge. And a recent memo from Newtson to members of the library's foundation indicates the state "has promised to operate the facility in perpetuity through" the historic preservation agency. Fundraising letters also say the agency will manage the facility, which includes the library, a museum and a visitors center.

But earlier this year, when the agency asked the legislature to formally put it in charge of the project, Ryan vetoed the bill. Instead, Newtson said it might be better to put the library and museum under an entity dedicated solely to the project.

"These will not be historic sites, they will be educational programs," Newtson said.

"The governor has said from Day One that he would like it to be a center for the discussion of public policy," he said. "We don't want to reinvent the wheel" but rather should involve public policy institutes at the University of Illinois at Urbana and Springfield and elsewhere around the state.

Gubernatorial ties

Placing the institution under the University of Illinois would mean that it would be run by the university's board of trustees, who are appointed by the governor. The board is chaired by prominent lobbyist and longtime Ryan ally Gerald Shea and includes Thomas Lamont, whose wife, Bridget, is director of policy in the governor's office.

Lincoln scholars hope there will be a high regard for academic expertise in the administration of the institution.

"I think it's very important the library aspect be under the control of somebody who has both knowledge and experience in scholarship," said John Y. Simon, a Lincoln scholar and professor of history at Southern Illinois University. "A library is a library, and it ought to have professional management and not some sort of political agenda."


Copyright (c) 2001, Chicago Tribune


--------------------
Improved archives!

Searching Chicagotribune.com archives back to 1985 is cheaper and easier than ever. New prices for multiple articles can bring your cost down to as low as 30 cents an article: http://chicagotribune.com/archives

=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).