Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-03
BIOLOGICAL PARK BILL.
Senators Oppose the House
Amendment Putting Half the
Cost on the District.
LEXINGTON RAILROAD BILL DISCUSSED
Proceedings in Both Houses of
Congress Today.
THE SENATE.

On motion of Mr.. Edmunds. it was ordered
| that, tomorrow being Good Friday, the ad-
journment today shall be till Saturday.
Mr.. Blair, at his own request, was excused
from further service ON the committee on pub
lie lands, and Mr.. Pettigrew was appointed in
| his place.
THE GEOLOGICAL PARK BILL.
The House amendments to the Senate bill for
| a geological park in the District Of Columbia
| were laid before the Senate. The principal
amendment was that half the expenditures for
| the park should be paid out of the taxes col
| lected in the District.
THE OBJECTIONABLE HOUSE AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Morrill,, while moving to concur, ex-
pressed the opinion that that amendment ought
not to have been adopted, because the park
was to be a national park or it was nothing,
and the whole expense should be borne by the
nation.
Mr.. Cullom-I hope the Senator will move to
non-concur and ask for a conference.
MIR. Morrill, do not propose to do that,
because l understand that it would lead to Il
long delay.
Mr.. Harris agreed with the opinion ex.
pressed by MIR. Morrill,, but he suggested that
conference on the House amendments would
not involve delay Of more than day two
JUSTICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE DISTRICT.
MIR. Sherman, as a matter of justice to the
people of the District, protested against the
effort to throw upon them half the burden
OF what was a mere governmental matter
The geological garden was no more for the
benefit of the District of Columbia than the
| coast survey or any other government institu-
ton, and If the amendment were adopted it
would establish a precedent which it would be
difficult to avoid in future. The people of the
District had no more interest in the geological
park than the people OK the United States at
large.
Mr.. Morrill, said he would yield to the gen.
eral expression OF sentiment, and would there
fore, move to non-concur and ask a confer
ence.
PURELY UNDER NATIONAL CONTROL.
Mr.. Cullom said that if the government was
going to establish geological park it ought to
be cared for entirely by the government, and
not have the responsibility divided with the
people OF the District. The Senate ought,
therefore, to non-concur in the House amend
ment.
Mr.. Edmunds agreed with Mr.. Cullom that
the geological park ought to be purely under
national control and purely charge Oh the
nation
Mr.. PLUMB's IDEA OF GENEROSITY.
Mr.. Plumb said he would not undertake to
decide for himself what ought to be done about
the expenditure made necessary by the crea-
tion Of a geological park, but he wanted to say
that in his opinion, the government had dealt
very generously with the people of the Dis
trict. The general government not only paid
half the expenses of the government of the
District but 1t took care of all the squares and
reservations and parks.
Mr.. HAwLEY DID NOT THINK IT RIGHT
that the people of the District should be called
upon to pay dollar of the expense off zoolog-
ical garden. 1t was not established for their
benefit, but for the benefit Of the whole people.
Besides, no city with population of 100000
would dream of establishing SO expensive a
thing as geological collection. He thought,
however, that the adjoining property, which
would be so much benefited by the park, ought
to be required to contribute.
MIR. BLAIR BROKE IN
upon what he called IAN important discussion
III behalf Of wild beasts, reptiles, bad birds and
| all kinds of dangerous things" in order to read
a memorial from Zion Church in Washington
asking for a reopening of the case of the edu-
cational bill. and declaring its rejection by the
Senate as "a great public calamity
The discussion as to the geological park was
| continued by Messrs. Gibson, Stewart, Black
burn and Dawes and finally the House amend
ments were non-concurred in and conference
asked.
The House bill for the use and improvement
OF Castle Island, Boston harbor was reported
back favorably and placed on the calendar.
PAY OF GOVERNMENT LABoRERs.
Mr.. Blair introduced a bill to regulate the
compensation of per diem laborers employed
by the government (fxing the lowest wages at
50 per day. and hadit referred to the commit
tee on education and labor.
The Vice President announced that he ex-
pected to be absent from Washington several
days next week. He did so, he said, so that
the Senate might take such action as might
seem proper in view of the resolution of March
IL, as to the appointment of president pro
tempOre.
On motion of Mr.. Pasco the Senate bill to ex.
tend to the port of Fernandina Fla, the privi-
| leges OF the statute to the immediate trans
portation of dutiable goods was taken from the
| calendar and passed.
THE LEXINGTON RAILROAD BILL.
Mr.. Hoar called up the motion to lay on the
table the motion heretofore made by Mr. Ed
munds to reconsider the vote passing the bill
| to amend the charter of the lexington and Sol
diers' Home Railroad Company.
Mr.. Edmunds moved to postpone the matter
till December next and stated, as O reason for
the motion. that he hoped that a commission
would be provided by Congress at the present
| session to examine the whole subject
OF street railroads, so that at next
assenS dSnsrsss iGsa iSa ,ss sss Justly ea
different projects that were pending and we're
| to be considered. On a map OF the District,
which he had caused to be made, showing the
actual and proposed lines of street railroads
he pointed out some ofDthe objections that ex-
lsted to the lexington bill as passed by the
Senate, particularly to that portion
Of the proposed line through g street
to the Treasury. There was no public neces-
| sity. he said, for that extension, as there were
now street lines on street and H street. The
extension would only be for the benefit Of the
stock holders Of the lexington railroad.
THE MONTANA ELECTION CASE.
At 2 o'clock, and without Mr.. Edmuuds
| concluding his argument, the presiding officer
| announced that the unfinished business"-
the Montana election case-came up under the
| rule.
| Mr.. Edmunds said that he would probably
not be present when the lexington matter
would come up again, and no did not desire
| that it should be held back on that account
He had said about all that he had wished to
| say on il.
AN AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Hoar (who has charge of the lexington
bilD said that he would probably call It MP
again on Saturday, but he should, in the mean
| time, submit to Mr.. Edmunds an amendment
| which would cover some of his objections mot
| affecting, however, the route Of the proposed
| extension.
PRKsDENT PRO TEN. INGALLS,.
Mr. Cuilom offered n resoiution (vhinh -.