Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-12-16

pOSal that this money snail De eX-
pended for the maintenance of the
museum and in the excavation of the
ancient ruins of New Mexico. 1t is
of a special interest to the people OF
New Mexico to note that this proposal
contemplates the placing of all archae-
illogical and chronological material that
is obtained by these Investigations in
the museum at Santa Fe which is not
only to be the Museum of American
Archaeology, but is distinctly stated to
be the State Museum of New Mexico
The Institute is proposing to do what
no other scientific organization in
America is doing, namely, to leave in
the states where excavated all the
results of their researches. What the
Institute excavates in Utah remains in
Utah. What it excavates in Colorado
remains in Colorado, and what it ex-
cavates in New Mexico will remain
in New Mexico, and form one OF its
most valuable assets. No other insti-
tuition in the country does this for the
local people. What is excavated by
the Smithsonian Institute is carried
out of the states and placed in the
National Museum in Washington. The
plan of the Institute provides solely
for the building up of the local and
state museums and institutions.
Museum to Own Property.
The grant of land that is asked for
is not asked to be given to the lnstl-
tute. but is asked to be secured for
the State Museum of New Mexico.
Moreover, the title to the Palace build
ing does not pass away from the peo-
pie of New Mexico at all. 1t remains
their own property. as does the land
that will be granted by Congress for
the support of the State Museum. The
Institute only asks that it be given
representation on the board of regents
of the museum in order that the work
of the School of Archaeology may
stand in proper relation with the build
ing up Of this great museum which is
one of the prime objects the Insti-
tute has in view in planting it's work
in the West. For the same reason, 1t
offers free of charge the services OF
the director of the school to be di-
rector of the museum, and there is no
other possible way by which New Mex
leo can build up a great museum and
have it under expert direction without
spending several times the amount OF
money made necessary by this pro-
posal.
Asset for 'he State.
The Institute does not ask that the
archaeological and chronological collec-
tions now in, the Palace building be
moved out, but rather that they SHAH
remain there and become part OF
the collections of the State museum.
The more this proposal is examined,
the more it will be seen that the lnsti-
tute is making extremely moderate de-
mands upon New Mexico. 1t is mere
" asking that New Mexico offer re-
spectacle quarters for the School OF
Archaeology, and maintain in connec-
ton Herewith a museum that will be
one of the greatest Of all possible as
sets the state could have, and pro-
vide for the excavation of it's own an
cient ruins for it's own benefit, rather
than allow them to continue to be
destroyed, and their archaeological
treasures carried away to enrich mu-
scum of other states and countries.
The plan of placing the State mu-
scum of New Mexico under the expert
direction of a great scientific organiza-
ton is analogous to that adopted by
the government of the United States.
which places the direction of the Ma
tional museum in the hands Of the
Smithsonian Institute.