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© 
The President then turned to Mr* Hitt and ashed whether 
the Government could accept the gift direct, without legisla¬ 
tion. Mr. Hitt said that he thought not, unless it were a 
gift to the Smithsonian or National Museum. He explained to 
the President the great difficulty in securing such legisla¬ 
tion as would "be required, although he offered to try to secure 
it if the President wished it.. 
Senator Henderson expressly disclaimed speaking for the 
Institution, saying that he was only giving his own view, hut 
the President seemed to take it for granted that the Institu¬ 
tion would not act favorably. 
The President said finally that he thought that Mr. 
Freer had made a generous offer, which had not been generously 
met, and that he proposed to make him feel good; he would 
invite him to the White House to dine and to stay over night. 
Senator Henderson, rising to his feet, said; "Mr. 
President, you, who have settled coal strikes and moved kings 
and emperors about on the chess board will, I hope, succeed 
in changing some of the details of Mr. Freer’s proposition." 
The President thought that the best way to obviate the 
whole difficulty would be to suggest to Mr. Freer that he put 
less money into the building, and put aside*a sum for the 
maintenance of the collection. 
The discussion between the President and Senator Hender¬ 
son was most spirited but always in the best of part.--~x. 
