New-York tribune., 1905-12-26
PRESIDENT IN EARNEST
1rt Collection Not To Be Lost
Through Dilat0rineSS.
From The Tribune bureau !

Dec. Z1---The intense earneStneSS
=, the President in his desire to effect the es-
enlistment of great national art gallery in
Treshington has been further demonstrated by
are letter which. on December 10. he sent to
are chancellor and Board OF Regents of the
Smithsonian Institution and which is now made
,,rrc for the first time. Attention was called
.. tbe desire Of the President that a great ma
.,,.1 art gallery should be established in Wash
,rs4on in the dispatches to The Tribune No
srnher 10 when It was announced that the
President had ordered the Department of Jus
.ce 70 institute civil suit TO secure for the gov
eminent the Harriet Lane Johnson art collec-
.,o, in accordance with the purposes of Mrs.
roh,sons will and In The Tribune OF December
I rhen attention was called TO the dilatory and
,sculiar conduct Of the Regents Of the Smith
sorian Institution in their failure to accept the
,rsr Of Charles L. Freer to bequeath his mag
niscent collection 10 the government. 1t was
also pointed out IN that dispatch that the Presi-
aent was ex-ofcio, presiding officer Of the Board
of Regents and that he was likely to avail him
a1f Of his position 10 inject little much needed
energy and enthusiasm into the management of
tbe Smithsonian. On December ) the Regents
held their bi-annual meeting and voted to ac-
cent Mr. Freer's offer. but that they have moved
IN the matter with their customary lack Of en-
e-gv is shown by the recent letter of MI Freer
n the President and the communication of the
President TO the Regents The Executive waves
aside in summary manner the petty objections
OF the Regents, which they have haggled
for more than a year and virtually instructs
them to proceed with all proper expedition to
accept Mr.. F'reer's offer and to close the ar
rangements. threatening that If they do not he
will be compelled TO take the matter out of their
hands; as he is unwilling that his intellectually
valuable collection should be lost to the people
OF the United States
The Presidents letter is as follows:
The White House,
Washington. December 19, 1908.
To the Chief Justice of the United States. Chan
cellor OF the Smithsonian Institution, and
Member of the Board of Regents.
Sir: ! herewith enclose q copy Of a letter
sent TO me by Mr.. Charles L. Freer offering to
beoueath his art collections to the Smithsonian
Institution the United States Government
together With 100000 In money TO construct
suitable building; or it if is deemed preferable
10 make q present conveyance Of the title to
such Institution the government and e be-
Quest Of the sum OF 100000 for the building.
The offer is made upon certain terms and con-
ditions which, in MY Judgment, are proper and
reasonable.
1t is impossible to speak in 700 high terms of
the munifcence shown by Mr.. Freer in this offer.
and il is one which the Government Of the
United States should at once close with as
matter of course Mr. Freer's collection is liter
ally priceless; Il includes hundreds OF the most
remarkable pictures by the best known old mas
ters Of China and Japan. 1t also includes hun
dreds af pictures. studies and etchings by GER
tain notable American artists; those by Whistler
alone being such would make the whole col
lection Of unique value-althoCgh the pictures
by the Chinese and Japanese artists are of even
greater worth and consequence There are
other art pieces which I need not mention Any
competent critic can testify to the extraordinary
value Of the collection. l Should suggest ChaC
either Dr.. Sturgis 3igeio.y or MT. John LaFarge
Re sent TO Detr DIT 20 examine the collection. II
there IS nv question about 1t; although as
-hafe 1fNar nF a
gents is familiar with its worth The conditions
which Mr. Freer imposes are in effect that noth-
ing shall be added 10 or taken from the colec-
ton after his death, ard that the coIecuon
shall exhibited by itself in the building TO ne
constructed for it without charge TO ms pup
lie: furthermore that he shall nave the rlghl 10
make such additions to the collection as he may
deem advisab bic. but not to take anything away
frora II after April next the collections remain
~ =, t1,e I1ossesson of Mr. Freer until his death
and then in the possession of his executors until
the completion of the building. These con-
ditions are, Of course erlinently proper.
All that is asked Of the government or the
regents OF the Smithsonian now is that they
shall accept this n1agnihcently generous oheT'
Nothing whatever else is demanded at present
When Mr. Freers death occurs land Will, OF
course. have to he allotted for the erecton OF
the bIIilding-a building which will itself be a
sif+ OF great beauty to the government-and
when the building is completed and the colIec-
+ion Installed therein and not before, Congress
will have to take some steps 10 provide the
comparatively small sum necessary TO take
care Of what will be national asset OF great
value.
l need hardly say that there are any NUM-
Der Of communities and Of institutions which
would be only too glad themselves TO promise
10 erect such a building as that Whlch MI fIteL
is going to erect, for the sake OF getting TINS
collection. The offer is one Of the most gen
ero11s that has ever been made to this govern
ment and the gift is literally beyond price
All that is now asked is that we shall agree
TO accept on behalf Of the nation the great
benefit thus TO he bestowed upon the nation -
hope that the regents OF the Smithsonian VIII
feel warranted to close with the offer; for they
are the national guardians Of such colectloh.
il in their wisdom they do not see thelr way
10 accent the gift. shall then be obliged to take
some other method Of endeavortng TO prevent
the loss TO the United States government. and
therefore 10 the people of the United States, of
one Of the most valuable collections which any
private individual has ever given 70 any people
Sincerely yours. THEODORE ROOStN ELL
Mr. Freer. who has met the procrastination
and Indifference of the Smithsonian regents with
extraordinary patience says in his letter Of
December II to the President:
Permit me to repeat my offer to hequeath my
art collections to the Smithsonian Institution or
70 the United States government. ana also the
sum Of 100000 in money for the purpose OF
constructing a suitable building in Whlch 10
house them, upon the following terms and con-
ditions:
First-The sum of 100000 shall be paid by
my executors TO the regents of the Smithsonian
Institution or the United States government
promptly after my decease, and shall be useo
forthwith for the construction of a fireproof
building connected with the National Museum
the construction of which has been recently
authorized or reasonably near thereto
Second-The interior Of this buildlng I,do snaI %
arranged with special regard for the convenience
Of students and others desirous of an opportu-
nifty for uninterrupted study. A suitable space
shall. ne provided in which the Peacock ~ ~f1ooih
shall be re-erected complete. The whole interior
arrangement of the building shall be agreed
upon between the regents Of the Smithsonian
Institution and myself within q reasonable tiiiie
after the acceptance Of this offer.
Thlrd-The collections, with Sucn aOoIlIoIIS