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SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 528 
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MADE BY BAKER-VAWTER CO.
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Again, were this appropriation of $60,000 for this interest carried in the annual Sundry Civil Bill, it would always appear to anyone who had not looked carefully into the matter that the annual appropriations made by Congress for the government work which it has placed under the administration of the Institution were increased each year to the extent of $60,000, and as it has been exceedingly difficult, particularly in times of retrenchment, to obtain appropriations barely sufficient to carry on in the most conservative manner these governmental branches of the Institution's work, the adding of this $60,000 in the bill with these other appropriations could only tend to still greater difficulty in obtaining their adequate support, by apparently swelling the total to that extent.

Furthermore, its inclusion in the annual estimates would necessitate an explanation of the whole matter with each change in the administrative or legislative branches of the government and could only make for instability and uncertainty for the Institution.

For the above and other reasons, I believe it would be unwise to include this item in the annual Sundry Civil Bill with the appropriations annually made by Congress for the support of the government activities under the Institution.  It should, it seems to me, still be retained among the permanent appropriations of the Government, such as those for the payment of the interest on any other obligations of the general government.

Very truly yours,

(Signed) Charles D. Walcott,
         Secretary.

The Honorable Martin B. Madden,
Chairman, Committee on Appropriations,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D. C.


November 3, 1921.

Dear Senator Lodge:

I enclose herewith copy of a letter from Mr. Madden, Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations. He asks if there is any objection to placing the item of $60,000, which is the interest at six per cent on the one million dollars deposited in the Treasury under the Smithson and other bequests, in the annual appropriation bill.

I replied as per enclosed copy of letter, stating that I thought it very undesirable to do this. 
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