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Smithsonian Institution  712
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years ago. Measured in what is being spent for research work by the various departments of the Federal Government, by many private corporations, by privately endowed and State universities, it is very small. Besides this amount, there are disbursed sums in trust for special objects, as follows:

a. Intrusted for miscellaneous purposes by private individuals - annual average for 5 years, $70,000.

b. The income of the Freer Bequest - annual average for 5 years, $190,000.

c. Congressional appropriations for 7 public bureaus - annual average for 5 years, $850,000.

The full presentation to you on February 11th must have convinced you, we believe, that a central endowment, unallocated as to its specific use, is essential. Such a fund which, in the opinion of your Committee, should at once be at least $2,000,000 in excess of what we now have, would enable us to maintain a very competent central staff as indicated below, and leave in our hands an additional income to be expended by the staff in its discretion under the general direction of the Board of Regents, as the exigencies of the moment occur. If this initial fund could be secured from private sources in the near future, it is safe to assume that the Government would be increasingly interested in contributing to the carrying on of the museum features of the work. The value of the museums, their dynamic possibilities when the educational capacity of these collections is fully developed, is so apparent that there is very little doubt that the help of Congress can be counted upon. At our meeting, you will recall, it was pointed out by the Director of the Budget that in spite of recent efforts to economize in all directions, it had been the disposition of Congress to increase appropriations for this purpose rather than to diminish them, one reason being that our duties as caretaker are constantly increasing.

Your committee is of the opinion that if this initial endowment of $2,000,000 can be secured from private sources and can be devoted to the purposes indicated, it would be possible gradually to increase it as the
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