Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-20
ACTION PROBABL E
BILL TO INCORPORATE AMERI-
CAN INSTITUTE IN PARIS.
Ground Donated by City Government
Project Endorsed by Many
Prominent Citizens.

Action will probably be had at the present
session of Congress on the bill pending be-
fore the House committee on the library,
to incorporate the American National In
stitute in Paris, France The measure,
which was introduced last April, has as its
object the erection of building in Paris
and to provide favorable conditions of sur
roundings and direction for American stu
dents and to facilitate their studies and
training in the arts and sciences, including
architecture. sculpture, painting, applied
design, music, dramatic art, literature, Ian
guages scientific instruction and research.
The list of incorporators contains the
names of many distinguished persons,
among them Chauncey M. Depew, Thomas
Hunter, Count Won Daur, John D. Grim
minis, Thomas Hastings, ]. Clarence Good
rich, Charles p. Gardiner Candace Wheel
er, Mary r. Calender Caroline de Forest.
John M. Cerrere, Frederick Smedley, Sarah
e. Henderson, Sarah e. Buckbee and Ma
tilda Smedley of New York city; Joshua L.
Chamberlain of Maine and Henry Vignaud
of Paris. France.
The bill empowers the company to take
over the property of the American National
Institute, which has been already incorpo-
rated in New York. This property includes
a plot of ground in Paris dedicated by the
government of the city to the institute.
The measure further provides that the in
stitute may send annually report to the
Secretary of State, for transmittal to Con-
gresS, and may also send each year to the
Congressional Library, subject to the APP
prevail of the joint committee the library
OF the two houses, such works of the stu
dents of the institute considered suitable for
preservation and exhibition.
All gifts and requests of money to the
institute, 1t is provided, unless otherwise
directed by the donor, shall be invested in
United States bonds and any scholarship,
donated or bequea thed. shall be applied to
that branch of education specified by the
donor.
Urged by State Department.
The passage of the bill has been strongly
urged by Secretary of State Hay, who, IN
a letter on the subject, reviewed the plans
and purposes of the institute and said that
the State Department has for number of
years taken much interest in the success
of the movement, designed to establish in
Paris national institute for the study of
art which will at the same time afford
home for young American men and women
students surrounding them with the whole
some influences and moral protection so
desirable in great capital.
In more recent letter to Congress AS
sistant Secretary of State Adee said:
While occupying temporary quarters
during the past three years, the institute
has shown its capacity for good, both in
its educational and in it's moral sense. It
has ENLISTED sympathy IN france as well as
in the United States, and now holds impor-
tant donations of money and valuable
works of art toward its establishment and
maintenance. good working nucleus for
the necessary collections of paintings, stat
uary and books already exists. Once set on
a practical footing, with appropriate recog-
milton of its character by the governments
of the United States and of France, the
rapid development and enlargement of its
sphere of utility and protection may be ex-
pected with confidence"
Mr.. Adee's letter closed with the state
ment that sit is sincerely hoped that Con-
gress, during the present session, will rec
ognize this meritorious project by the pas
sage of the bill'
Ground Valued at 100000.
The arrival in Washington from Paris
two weeks ago of Mr.. Henri Won Daur,
delegate and secretary general of the Amer
lean National Institute, with a plan of the
plot of ground valued at 100000, dedicat-
ed by the city of Paris, on which to build
the institute has revived interest in the
bill.
Mr.. Won Daur was received the other day
by President Roosevelt, and has had In
terviews with Secretary of State Hay, the
French ambassador. M. Jusserand; Sena-
tors Frye, Allison, Kean and Cullom; Rep
resentatives Hit, Payne, McCleary, and
other members of both houses. Mr.. voE
Daur. who is the brother-in-law of Miss
Smcdley, the 1ounder OF the american Ma
tional Institute, Is confident that the bill,
which is now before the House of Repre-
sentatives, will be passed without fail this
session.
AS the project has enlisted the sympa-
thies of many prominent citizens Of the
United States the incorporators have rea-
son to hope that steps will be taken at
once to take over the gift of ground by
the city Of Paris.
The incorporators want commission ap-
pointed by Congress to receive gifts, such
as the $4,000 in scholarships.
Mr.. Won Daur has with him testimonial
letters from the great masters of France,
minister of public instruction and the di-
rector of beaux arts Mr.. Marcel, in which
they all promise their support and coop
Grafton toward the final organization Of
this institute for the American prize stu
dents.