Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-26
DEEMS IT PRICELESS
The President Praises the
Freer Art Collection.
URGES ITS ACCEPTANCE
OFFER STATED IN A LETTER TO
CHIEF JUSTICE FULLER.
Tells the Chancellor of the Smithsonian
Institution That All That is Asked
is an Affirmative Response.

President Roosevelt has taken a great
interest in the proposed bequest to the
Smithsonian Institution of the art collec-
lion of Mr.. Freer of Detroit A letter on
the subject from President Roosevelt to
Chief Justice Fuller has been made public,
in which the President speaks in the high
est terms of tie artistic value of the col
lection and his appreciation of Mr.. Freer's
generosity in proposing to leave it to the
Smithsonian after his death. The letter fol-
lows:
The Presidents Letter.
Sir: l herewith inclose a COPY of letter
sent TO me by Mr.. Charles l.. Freer offer
ing to bequeath his art collection to the
Smithsonian Institution or the United
States government, together with s500,00O
in money to construct suitable building;
or. If 1t Is deemed preferable, To- make a
present conveyance OF the title to the In
stitution or the government and bequest
Of the sum of s500,O00 for the building.
The offer is made upon certain terms and
conditions which. in my judgment are
proper and reasonable.
Collection Literally Priceless.
1T Is impossible to speak in too high
terms Of the munificence shown by Mr..
Freer in this offer; and it is one which
the government of the United States should
close at once as mater OF course. Mr..
rTeeT COltectiOH itcIdily 10 piiSSiCSSs ~
includes hundreds of the most remarkable
pictures by the best known old masters of
China and Japan.
1T also includes hundreds of pictures.
studies and etchings by certain notable
American artists; those by Whistler alone
being such as would make the whole col
lection of unique vaiue-althougt the pic
lures by the Chinese and Japanese artists
are of even greater worth and consequence.
There are other art pieces that L need not
mention. Any competent critic can testl1y
to the extraordinary value OF the collection.
l should suggest that either DR.. Sturgls
Bigelow or Mr. John La Farge De sent 10
Detroit to examine the collection, If there
is any question about 1t: although l assume
that every member of the board of regents
is familiar with its worth
Mr.. Freer's Conditions.
1.-THE conditions which Mr.. Freer i'm
poses are, in effect, that nothing shall be
added to or taken away from the col
lection after his death, and that the col
lection shall be exhibited by itself in the
building to be constructed for 1t without
charge to the public; furthermore, that
he shall have the right to make such adj
ditions to the collection as he may deem
advisable but not to take anything away
from it after April next, the collections
remaining in the possession of Mr.. freer
until his death and then In the posses.
sion of his executors until the completion
course eminently proper.
All that is asked of the government
or the regents of the Smithsonian now Is
that they shall accept this magnif1cently
generous offer. Nothing whatever else is
demanded at present. When Mr.. Freers
death occurs. land will. of course, have to
be allotted for the erection of the build
ing-a building which itself will be a
gift of great beauty to the government
and when the building Is completed and
the collection installed therein. and not
before Congress viii have to take some
steps to provide the comparatively small
sum necessary to take care of what Will
be a national asset of great value.
Would Be Welcomed Elsewhere.
Il need hardly say that there are any
number of communities and of insttu-
tions which would be only too glad them
selves to promise to erect such build
erect for the sake of getting this collec-
ton. The offer rs one of the most gem
erous that has ever been made to this
government, and the gift is literally be-
yond price. All that is now asked is
that we shall agree to accept on behalf
of the nation the great benefit thus to
be bestowed upon the nation.
Il hope that the regents of the Smith
sonian will feel warranted to close with
the offer, for they are the national guar
dams of such a collection. If in their
wisdom they do not see their way to
cept the gift, 1 shall then be obliged to
take some other method of endeavorfng
to prevent the loss to the United States
government and therefore to the people
of the United States, of one of the most
valuable collections which any private In
dividual has ever given to any people.
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"