El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-07-10

3 those
men and women who from their
wealth have set aside funds, the in
comes from which are used in research
and Qhilanthroplc work Of one kind
or another. Little by little those who
are supported in their work by these
funds are pushing back the bounds of
knowledge and discovering new truths
and new principles which straightway
are harneSSed and made to work for
the welfare and upIift of humanity. In
fact it has happened a thousand times
that the scientist has received only
ridicule for his pains and the phiIan-
thropist rldicule for his munificence.
A Langley studies the problem of
flight from its every angle and makes
all manner OF experiments TO prove and
disprOve the existing theories con-
corning it; yet the world laughs at his
mud duck and makes so much fun Of
1t that 1t haStenS his death before he
sees the principles he worked out SUE
cessfully applied. A Davenport in
quest of the truth concerning heredity,
breeds some siX-tOed cats, and he is
called a wizard and such sensational
stories are written about it that he is
all but disheartened in his laborious
work of trying to give to the human
race the wonderful benefits which
must accrue from a thorough under
standing of one OF the greatest of ma
lures laws.
But with all this, generous men con-
tinue to set aside funds for research
work, and determined scientists con-
tinue to Investigate with tireless en-
ergy all the clues of nature which
seem to promise new lessons and new
benefits to mankind while other ben
efactOrs seek to make their lessons
available to mankind at large. Hun
dreds of institutions large and small
areare wOrkin along these lines, and it
is the purpose of this series of articles
to tell about some of them.
In considering the endowed instit-
tutiOns Of the United States that have
added so vastly to human knowledge
and human well being, the Smith
sonian institution deserves first place,
both by reason Of the vast benefits 4
has conferred on mankind and be-
cause of its priority in the field OK
such Institutions.
The story of the Institution.
It is a remarkable story that must
be told Of the Smithsonian institution.
1t came into its present existence
through conditions which make it al
most seem that its establishment was
fOreOrdained. George Washington
once had an idea of a great national
university at Washington, and Joel
Barlow later planned an institution
embracing the Washington idea and
some others of his own. But the whole
project remained no more than an idea
until James SmithsOn, disappointed
and diSheartened nobleman, the ileSit-
innate son of the duke Of NOrthum5er-
land, came to make his will. He drew
that instrument in 1926, and in it he
willed all his property TO his nephew,
Henry James HungerfOrd, providing
that it should 90 TO his children,
whether legitimate or illegitimate, but
containing a further clause in which
it was stated that if he died without
issue, or if his children died under the
age of q or intestate then the whole
of his property, subject TO a small an
nuity to a faithful servant, should 20
to the United States to found at
Washington, under the name of the
Smithsonian institution an establish
ment for the increase and diffusion OF
knowledge among men"
SmithsOn died in 1929, and his
nephew died six years later at Pisa,
leaving no heirs. Immediately there
after a law firm advised the American
legation in London of the existence Of
the bequest to the United States as
was communicated to president jack
son, who declared he had no authority
to receive the money and referred the
matter to congress-
Tie necessary authorization was rec
commended by both the senate and
house committees, but was not passed
by the two houses until after a bitter
debate. One member of the senate as
serted that if an institution of the
kind were desired he would prefer
funds, and congress should not pander
to the paltry vanity of an individual.
He asserted that if this bequest were
accepted every Whipper-Snapper vag-
abond that had been traducing our
country might think proper TO have
his name distinguished in the same
way"
Gift Is Bitterly Opposed.
John c. Calhoun, the eminent South
CarOlinian. also was bitterly opposed
n nf Iii nv
He said that every time he passed
through the rotunda of the capitol it
made him mad to see the French statue
Of Jefferson, not only because it was
no more like jefferson than he was,
but because he felt it involved a spe-
cies of meanness which he could not
describe. He said it carried with it
the tacit admission that the United
states was too stinSy to purchase one
worthy OF the man and OF the nation.
He also thought that the reception of
the fund would be unconstitutional.
Thomas II. Benton shared the opinion
of Calhoun. and announced himself as
desiring that the cCn%reSS should re-
to sue for the fund in the English
courts Later John c. Calhoun de-
clared that he had heard a man say
that of all the curses that had de-
scended upon Philadelphia the greatest
was the Girard donation. Here we
are to commence with half a million
and no one knows how much more
will be added" he passionately ex-
claimed.
All sorts of arguments were put up
against the acceptance If the Request,
even after the president had been en-
pOWerde to secure it. Senator Benton
declared That he objected to it because
i: would place TIE United States gov
eminent in the light of being a mon
eyed power. After the money was re-
ceived there were suggestions by the
thousand as to how to use it. Nearly
everybody thought it ought to be used
to found great university, and the
early debates in congress indicate that
it was there regarded as given for
that purpose.
Invested in Arkansas Bonds.
When the legacy became available
the various securities were converted
into gold sOvereigns and shipped to
the Philadelphia mint, where it was
converted into American money. II
was invested in bonds of Arkansas. but
in 1876 that state defaulted and the
United States made it good. paying SIX
per cent interest on the $53S,OOO Ar
kansas owed at the time OF default.
Andrew Johnson opposed the United
States making good the loss He said
that the money had been invested IN
good faith and that the national gov
eminent was not in duty bound 10
restore it. He announced that any
way he would like to see a young man
educated at the Smithsonian institu-
ton, and brought up in all the eXtray-
nd