The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-10-06
ODD REQUESTS BY Glide
Some Extraordinary Uses F., ~,
They Desire Governmen+,, Which

Aney Neslre Government L,t.,
The ingenuity displayea - ''a''
people In reaching bizarre by y son,
Interpretations Of Amazing mar ana uliqW
statements 10 marvellous "o1ttltIly sinpL
instance occurred recent uileS Al
founded even the hardenaS mat a.
cAe of the departments at " W. sISetks b /
that has many peculiar per y SnsllngtOS
respondents. A request coUas as CO..
department for one of its MIKE, % Tie
The request was granted a rnua1li,sdoaa
sent in the familiar manila w ~e ooot
bearing in one corner the le % wdTapger
eial Business. Penalty f9r nq, OF
Use. $500" In due course ~ ~ >. ffvaa
the following reply was rece al .1e naia
sir wat does that mean NV. Dtsl
private use 300 does that p moaIy ta
you want pade for the book 'I Is u ila
let me know an l will SENT = :, i dos
back rite away for l bant yr, ue OON
l cant aforde to by it. Yours V trils
The writer's of the Govorn,a...
LEGATIONS cannot afford the ro,,i, plA
sensitiveness that is popularJy rr my, and
to authors. If they did nor o us,ytoei
q Gallons Indifference to iests ~. vuaiu'aa
cism their beds would be tb "uu alt
deed, for there is a lamentabioV i ia
appreciation of the literary mo la.A
the works within the solom ,''i ~
bindings that emerge from III. g ca
eminent Printing Office. Tho '" ".sj
a department that prides itself " "a y y
high value of its varlous ,v ~ lle
tons received a request f-! yaOilCa'
Of the sovereign people for HE Y~ .i ols
Glowing with inward pride away ,et a
Ing found an appreciative reoas, lay Az
head of the department informo,ii I l,s
correspondent that a large numba. u y,
reports were issued from HE oa VI
every year, and that he wond envy s..s
any of them that was desired f. f't4
were informed which was wished
prompt reply came saying that A.
writer was not particular any o,'
would do, rs he only wanted Il n,
scrap book.
Speaking Of report, the Smiihmrl,,
Institution had an experience that va,
a shock to the stately calm of that Al.
nified body. AS is known to evev ana
one of the purposes of the insfitr4a,
Is the diffusion of knowledge AMMAN,
mankind" and in pursuance Of nj,
end, 1t publishes valuable sclpnHs
works. There are many books that an
Of great utility to scientific wOrksr
and students and that should be NH
lished. for which the demand would i.
so limited that 40 commercial publsbs
could afford to issue them. II a vmt
Of this sort be really meritorious M
Smithsonian Institution undertakes 4,
publication, and to this are due seyenI
of the most important and exhaustive
works of the past half century. THIS.
works are given to certain public libn
ries and individuals, and their value
knewn to all students of science
Among the libraries that have bea
beneficiaries Of the institution is oN
in a town in Massachusetts This l.
brary has a complete set Of Smth@r
ian publications, and is the envy oil
many others on account Of it, It h|
came blessed with a new librarian nd|
long ago. and he saw the long lie N
these donated books and regretted thl|
shelf room. A remedy suggested itS.|
and the Smithsonian received letg
saying that this library needed space
and as it could not give sheifage d
such a mass of literary rubbish it val
hoped that the institution would take
back its useless trash. BY return ma|
this offer was accepted. and. m
disappointment Of the officials, N
learned and courteous librarian replsl
that since writing the letter he bad
been told that some of the books Werd
Of value and he would retain them-to1
which compliment the institution 4
duly grateful.
The popular notion OF the function
of the Government is a source of ne'|
er-ending wonder. The Commission d
Fish and Fisheries received a letta,
some weeks since from lady wig
wished to know if the distribution y
fish was kept up by the Commi$ion
"If So" continued the letter, 81 wis
a large salmon sent me. expect
give a handsome entertainment on To
til of this month, and wish to SEN
salmon ut the dinner" She was
formed hat the fish distributed are on
about one inch long, and she no dOu01
thinks the Government tat failure h