New-York tribune., 1905-11-10
A NATIONAL ART GALLERY
Nucleus for 1t in the Harriet Lane
Johnson Collection
rr-ons'.I..s TRIBUNE Barealul..1

from ass Tribune Bureau
Washington Nov 9-The President has taken
step which promises to prove the first tan
gible movement toward the establishment OF a
national art gallery In the American capital In
accordance with his instructions the Depart
ment of Justice has instituted suit to secure
as the nucleus for such a gallery the rare art
collection of the late Harriet Lane Johnson,
under the provisions of whose will this collec-
ton was left conditionally to the Corcoran Art
Gallery, with the proviso that should the gov
ernment establish a national gallery in WASH
ington her art treasures were to be transferred
to 1t by the trustees.
BY a codcil TO her will Mrs. Johnson stipu-
lated that the art collection should be trans
ferred to the Corcoran gallery only on condi-
tion that the trustees erect a separate building
in which to exhibit IL, building in which the
atmospheric conditions should be made FAR more
suitable to the preservation of works of art than
is the case in the existing Corcoran gallery, and
she expressed the belief that were such an an
nex provided it would ultimately become the de-
pository of many and valuable paintings
which their owners were unwilling to trust 10
the Corcoran gallery with its disadvantages IN
the way of preserving works of art, especially
paintines The trustees OF the Corcoran galieTy
decided that in view of the likelihood that they
would ultimately be required to turn thelr COL
lection over to the national government theS
would not be warranted in mourning the ex-
pense involved in the compliance with the pro-
visions of Mrs Johnson's WILL and declined the
bequest.
The view maintained by the President anu
advanced by the Department OF Justice III l'S
n,ea to the court to-day is that legally d
national art gallery was established by the ell
ectnen. of the organic act of the Smithsonian
Institutiorf which was approved August w.
1e4e. that the restitution has already accunlu-
,+ed large collection Of paintings, etchlhsS
oarx,ines engravings etc, and that uiiter
+bsse circumstances the Corcoran> Art Gallery
.rio,,ed no right whatever to the collection
under the provisions of Mrs Johnsons Will ana
no.sasse6 no authority to reject the bequest
IF as seems probable. the courts determine T
4bat the Harriet Lane Johnson COLLECTION sLa!
be conveyed to the government TO De piaIeu
under the supervision of the Smithsonian III
stitution it will doubtless result In the asslsH
rnent of an adequate and appropriate poF
~ the new National Museum building now III
rrocass of construction. for the accommodation
0uired nv the Smithsonian Institution ana .he
National Museum. and the establishment Oh
national art gallery destined to become tns
n1osf extensive and valuable in the country
The location of the new National Museum
h,1iIdine is particularly favorable to sucn eH-
tension as may be made necessary by TINS prov
ect Located in the Mall and with ample space
n ali sides it can be extended almost inden-
oitelv I'm al least three directions, and art 10Y
crs in the national capital are naturally deilsl!t
ed with the prospect opened by the PRESIDENT
action.