NATIONAL MUSEUM BUILDINGS. 283 



of specimens were deeliueil, with the recomineinlatioii tiiat they be offered to the 

 Cliieago iiiuseuni, and, ho far as it was possible to do so, tlie attention of exhilntors 

 who had collections to disj)ose of was directed toward that institution. 



A census of the number of specimens now contained in the various departments 

 of the Museum shows that the total is alxjut IJ.riOCOOO, almost all of which have 

 l)een acquired l)y tr'ft' i'l excluuiuje for other specimens, or as an e(jni\alent for 

 |)ul)lications. 



On April 14, 18!M), Senator Mon-ill })ropo.sed his bill (Senate No. 

 »it>8 as amended) as an aniendineiit to the sinidrv civil ])ill for 1897, 

 and it was refei'ivd to the Connnittee on Appropriations. He spoke 

 upon the measure in the Senate on April 1»>. prefacing his remarks as 

 follows: 



Mr. President, when the Smithsonian Institution, designed for "the increase and 

 diffusion of knowledge among men," was put into practical operation, it was discov- 

 ered tliat a national museum would be a large contributor to the great purpose of 

 the founder, and that the nation was destitute of such an institution. The Smith- 

 sonian buililing accordingly early Ix-gan to l)e temporarily crowded with many gifts 

 anil objects of rare value, and sul)sequently a separate building for a nuiseum was 

 found to be indispensal)le. l*atronized as was this collateral enterprise of the Smith- 

 sonian by the Government, through many of its Executive Dei)artments, and guided 

 by the Smithsonian Institution in a scientific and educational direction, as well as in 

 the practical diffusion of knowledge, it was sure to become an important but inex- 

 pensive .institution of public education, with a constantly increasing collection of 

 imjiortant materials worthy to be intrusted to the custody of a national museum, ' 

 where they might be forever preserved and thus increase in value with every 

 succeeding generation. 



His closing words were signiticant and prophetic: 



The additional ])uilding now earnestly sought will be equal to the preservation 

 and exhibition of a \ery large amount oi accumulated material now unhap})ily 

 stored away, and will also provide some space for future accumulations that should 

 not longer he neglected. 



The agents of great museums abroad are reported to be regularly employed here, 

 with authority to purchase any American curios and anticiuities, and in some direc- 

 tions they are sujjposed to have already o])taine<l better specimens for exhibition 

 than have been left for us to find. 



The New World, of which the United States forms so imjiortant a part, in its 

 l)rairies and mountains, hills and forests, with their I'xtensive mini'rals, rocks and 

 marldes, lakes and rivers, with the animals, game, liirds, and lish, the story of the 

 lirehistoric race, the legends of tlie Indian tribes, as well as the notable modern 

 lustory and life of the present inhabitants, all seem to have distinctive features of 

 tiieir own Avhich belong almost exclusively to the western half of the globe dis- 

 covered by Cohnubns. This vast and (-omparatively ungathered continental field, 

 with its abounding American treasures, should be harvested by our National INIuseum 

 and not surrendered to the more <liligent foreign explorers to adorn and enrich only 

 European nuiseums. 



As long as it shall 1h' conducted by the Smithsonian Institution its broad non- 

 partisan rei)utalion as a national museum of tlic bigliest charactei- will not b(> likely 

 ever to be <lisi)uted or imi)eached. 



While this additional building, with its additional story and cellar, will more than 

 double the capacity of the i)resent nuiseum, it is i)rol)able as the yeai-s go by that it 

 will be necessary to keep step with the research, progress, and record of the .Ameri- 

 can people, and as early as li»2t>. when our jioijulation will be not less than 1 40, (UK), 000, 



