New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-28
ECONOMY WITHOUT SENSE.
MEAN TREATMENT OF THE SMITHSONIAN
INADEQUATE. PROVISION MADE IL TIE sUNDIY
CIVIL ELL FOR TIE iNsT-
TUTIOS'S SUPPORT.
rpr rrIrGaArn TO TIE TKInrNI.I

| rbT TELEGRAPH TO THE THIDtNEI
| Warrington Nav 27.-'rhc policy Of economy
falsely so called which has been pr,ued in IDS 'oh
gIcss by Mr. Holman and his followers ha- already had
a noto1onsy injurious effect upon the public service
and las lei 60 many dcpoiab, results. But In no In
stance pcrhaps have the dishonesty ard hypocrisy ci
| Mr. Iolmnn's methods o; rctrcnchmcnt been more
plainly exposed than In his committees dlShecnuNiS
ard ndcrnsibe treatment OF the smith >phiAh In"u'u-
ton II Is well known that the Smithsonian Institution
Is not OF Itself Government foundation. bn Is the re-
| suit OF an Individual endowment. the Government
holding tovnrd II the relationship If trustee and
e,,ariian Mr. Smithson's frvat, frunc 81 :sOooOo,
which has for nnnv years supported thc imp rtat
scientific wok cnri1cl By the Institution was org1
tally covered into the Treasury ~ Tho promise o' the
United States 10 pay an animal Interest of Pc cont lo'
tho maintenance Of tho Institution and ia" promotion OF
thc sIcal objects for which IL founded. THIS an
nual find Of az 900 belong b. right {, tho H"ecns ~
,he Institution ard shDid devote" olrly the sci
cnhc work which they carr ol Eut 81 recent wears
and most nagrnntly IN the Of the present House 81
Representatives. legislation has boon attempted which
dlvcrts this trust fnnd part least 10 public ana
scientific ucs, and puts the Government In the r"su"
Of taking for its own purposes nind which il pledged
70 tho exclusive prosecution Of the Smithsonian work
II Mr. Holman has his way lc nkely 10 saddle enough
public and governmental functions upon he Smith
sonan Institution to consume Tho whole inrOnc which
n derives from Mr. Smlthson' generous bcquc-t And
If, ineQufnlt~
the Smithsonian Rcccats having control of the
Original fund Of 100000 which went into the Treasury
outaght have t-cc urabc invest It p'iltablv.
other great educational ana scientific b"qne'ts have
becn invested and are limited now and nlwavs Will
;c limited TO the modes, Income with which Tie Irsc.
tlon started.
This diversion OF the Institutions proper Income 10
public purposes has come about gradually per
haps Mr.. Holman would not now attempt 10 absorb
the whole Of II without oven apology. The chief
objects Of the Institution are: First. Increasing
knowledge By promoting original Invest ign lions and
discoveries; secondly drsinc II ~ publications and
exchanges. These acv!cs. for example. include no,
Only laboratOrles OF research and investigation In u>
natural sciences but a division Of international ex
changes for dinuslng knowcec only through til,
country Int through the world the Institution having
J. 600 correspondents at lD'nc and abroad. SUI!
other dcpai tmcnts OF activity have grown up orgi
naHy n part Of the Institution and later scpart"
insitulons which Congress has recognized National
like its great museum. which Is now deposited with
the collections OF the United states, well IT. goat
library which Is deposited with The Library Of grcs
These and other departments originally created
Of the private fund Of james Smitlson. hut OF
later year, have formed -elurnte csta@i ishmcats
under the smlthsonians care; establishments which
the Government has assumed nomnally the entrc
charge Of supporting, leaving u tho In;,tution. nom
lnay again. the Of lis small fund exclusively for
the Increase and diffusion OF knowledge among men.
TO show how far this control l. nominal any
OF the objects TO which this fund Is applied may bc
TAKEN The system Of International exchanges for
Instance. which begun by the Institutions carrying
Mt Its cost purely scientific cumcnts has gr.ld
ally lad laid upon II BY Congress tho duty OF also
carrying Government documents which have mailing
10 do with science. like The Congressional Record :
and the cost OF this alien service has finally grown
exceed that OF the original. Congress has for
years undertaken by treaty carry on both works.
Tint u transporting TO foreign countries Through the
Institution scientific md also Congressional docI-
mcnts but II has provided the means b meet IT,
obligations. The secretary OF the Institution
says in his report for 1890 that n has mp that
dine advanced out Of James Huiiheous private filnc
over $4,000 TO meet the deficit for carrying "Thc
Government Is wholly responsible This deficit has
been met out OF the private Smithsonian fund only
TIL the matter could have the attention Of Concress
bu Congress has far failed 10 make good this nbso
lutte and undenlable obligation.
Although statements have repeatedly been made
10 the House Committee they have met no attention
and at the present Zinc tue greater portion OF the In
come OF james Smlhs-n's money Is bclng more and
moro alicnated 10 the payment Of persons no. only
nally Independent Of It's founders ORIGINAL intent
The Appropriations Committee OF the House has In
fact. In tho Sundry Clv Appropriation bill while leav
ing the Institution resp nSblc 10! all pnb,Ic matters
already placed In Its charge down the inafe1uatc
sums last appropriated for Them without any reference
10 the fact that these appropriations already NJ