Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-09

The Senate then, at 12:45, resumed consider
alton of the Montana contested election case
and Mr.. Pugh continued his argument in favor
OF the democratic claimants-Messrs. Clark and
Maginnis.
THE HOUSE.
In his prayer this morning the chaplain said:
Oh! Almighty God. our only help, we COM
mend to Thy fatherly care and pity Thy SER
want, a member of this House, and his wife,
whose hearts are crushed by the untimely and
terrible death of their sou, the son of their
hearts and hopes.
On motion of Mr.. Wade mo Senate amend
ments were concurred in to House bill to
admit free of duty articles intended for the
~. Louls exposition In 1890 which may be inn
ported from the republic OF Mexico and other
American republics and the Dominion Of
Canada.
On motion of Mr.. Struble Gowa) the Senate
amendment was non-concurred in to House
bill providing for town site entries of land in
Oklahoma.
THE GEOLOGICAL PARK BILL.
The Speaker having laid before the House
the Senate bill for the improvement and main
tenance Of the National Geological Park. with
House amendment providing that the District
OF Columbia shall pay half the expense), with
the request from the Senate for conference
Mr.. McComas md moved that the House re-
cede from its amendment.
Mr.. Cannon Gil. protested against the propo-
sitiOn to recede. He thought it but Just to the
tax payers Of the country that one-half of the
expense should be borne by the District
MIR. Blount (Ga.) conceded with this view
and submitted an argument in support
of it. The declaration that the
park would be a source of education to the peo-
pie OF the country was mere psetense. The
park would simply be IL feature or city life He
was not willing that this constant expenditure
Of public money, brought about by reason of
influences at the Capitol which should not be
considered should go on without his protest.
NATIONAL AND NOT A CITY PARK
Mr.. McComas spoke in support of his motion
The appropriation carried by the bill was not
great. 1t was absurd to call it a District prop
osition. 1t WAS proposition which had
come from the Smithsonian Institution. 1t
WAS to be a nationrl park for the advance
ment OF science and for the per-
petuation of animals now nearly extinct
1t was not little Washington city park. For
elgn countries would not send specimens of
their fauna and fora to local concern when
they would send them to a national ZOO There
was no more reason why the District should be
called upon to pay for the maintenance of this
park than for the support of the National Mu-
scum.
NOT A LOCAL MATTER.
Mr.. Breckinridge (ky.) said that the propo-
sition to establish zoo was not local matter.
The District OF Columbia had nothing to
do with the park except that it was
located in the District. The amendment gave
to the District a joint title and interest with
the United States in the specimens put
into the park and ought to give it a
voice in the management. The present
anomalous un-American government
of the District could not last forever and
when the dissolution of partnership took place
this addendum of the Smithsonian Institution
| ought not to be the joint property of the gov
ernment and the District.
MIR. Morse Mass said that since 1861 the
doctrine had prevailed that this was a nation
and should have capital worthy of the ma
tion.
NATIONAL ENTERPRISE.
Mr.. ButterwOrth (Ohio) said that the Zoo
was national enterprise. 1t was properly To-
Gated at the national capital 1t might have
been located at any other place, and il it had
been located anywhere else would the people
of that locality have been made to pay half
the expense?
He was not willing to surrender the control
OF the park to the Commissioners of the Dis
| trict. He would not surrender the control of
| one of the pet bears. The District had al
ready all it could attend to, and
sometimes it was not attended to well. The
District government had been severely criti-
cised and he believed justly so. He eulogized
the management of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion, under whose control the park was to be
placed, expressing his delight that there was
one bureau OF the government that did not
come up with deficiencies, spring and fall.
THE DISTRICT DEBT AND TAXES.
Mr.. Atkinson said that already, although the
District had paid one-half of the original cost
the title was vested entirely in the United
States.
There is already debt on the District of some
S19, 900, 900, which is larger in proportion to
the assessed value Of property than any other
city in the country. Taxes are high enough
also in the District.
The park is not for the people of the District
but for the whole nation.
Mr.. Payson asked il Mr.. Atkinson would take
the same ground when the Rock Creek park
bill came up and Mr. Atkinson said he would
meet that question when it arose.
no PARTNERSHIP.
MIR. Gambler Mass thought that it was not
wise for the government to enter into copart-
| nership with the District in any of her pub
lie buildings or public museums. If the
United States government could not afford to
enter upon the enterprise, let the bill be killed
here and now.
Mr.. Hill Qll) favored a recession on the:part
OF the House. The enterprise was not local
one. 1t was hardly national one. II was
more than that II was for the benefit of the
whole world.
Mr.. Buchanan (NJ.) said that a zoo was for
the purpose of scientific thought and investi-
cation, and ii was only because it had that
purpose that Congress had any authority to