Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-28

State, and as the Chicago museum is out
of the way there will hardly be any re-
tentive pressure brought to bear upon Sec
rotary Gresham. A few Chicago people
have displayed some desire to have the
Convent of La Rabida remain where it is
and as 1t is but the movement lacks force
SO the application which Mr.. Spofford is
going to make to the State Department is
reasonably sure of an affirmative reply.
Another very fine exhibit which Libra
rfan Spofford is after is in the gallery Of
the government building-the Curtis co.,
lection relating to South America. 1t illus
trates the life, customs and architecture Of
the various and interesting peoples who
reside beneath the southern cross. and en-
ables any one who can understand pictures
to take a long trip without fatigue or ex-
pense Mr.. Spofford wants the collection so
that he can use 1t to embellish the library
alcove devoted to South American fitera-
ture. and as this aggregation. like that at
La Rabida. is controlled by the Secretary
OF State. Mr.. Spofford will doubtless get
what he is after.
These Are Going to Get Away.
But Of the many wonderful exhibits OF pre-
historic mans activity. brought to Chicago
from all parts Of the earth. none are likely
to reach Washington. Several should be
acquired by the government, but unless
Congress develops extremely sudden inter
est in the most fascinating Of sciences,
private collections or enterprising college
museums will capture much that is rare
and valuable and comparatively cheap.
The Colombia and Guatemala and Peruvian
antiquities, some of them remarkably fine.
and comprising specimens Of stone. gold
and pottery, may now be had for a few
thousand dollars. while a serious effort to
do anything like duplicate them by original
exploration would use up a large chunk OF
the governments gold reserve. There are
two Wisconsin collections well worth max
ing an effort for and every archaeologist
casts envious eyes on the late discoveries OF
DR.. Emil Hassler in Brazil. The Cliff
Dwellers antiques are high grade, and so Is
the unique collection that came from I.ibe-
ria, the latte being especially desirable and
valuable. The Guesde collection from Quad
aloupe Island and the collection discovered
In Cambodia by Prof Jammes-both in the
Tunis building-ought to find a final home
In the National Museum. But they will not.
unless their possessors not only donate
them to the institution, but also pay all
freight or express charges.
Careless n to Ourselves.
North American Indifference to matters in
which We should be periodically interested
can be seen most clearly when an Inter-
national comparison is instituted. bright
er, more progressive people than those of
the United States never existed, but there
are many more learned nations on the
globes surface. Strange as 1t may seem.
and hard to believe as 1t certainly will be,
We are far to the rear of Germany, for
while we are rather proud Of the fact that
we know very little about ourselves, Ger
many has a vast number of works in High
Dutch on the ethnology. anthropology. an
tiquities and natural sciences OF this below
ed land Of ours. Foreign nations and educa-
tional institutions send learned men here to
investigate, and our students must be con-
tent with the information consequent upon
the discoveries of those distinguished visit
ors. Not only do We send no agents TO
other lands, but We depend to a consider
able extent upon foreign enterprise for
facts as to much that has happened and is
happening on our own continent.
And this extraordinary indifference must
be held accountable for the fact that the
opportunity Of the century cannot be i'm
proved by those who are among the fore
most in the great work of education and
civilization.