Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-25
In the debate in the House yesterday on the

In the debate in the House Yesterday on the
Geological Park item Mr.. Dockery said: '.You
propose, in the matter of the Geological Park
that the people who urged its establishment
and are responsible for it, shall at least pay
one-haf Of the expense" Mr.. Clements spoke
Of 1.-The people of this District who
asked for and we're anxiously desiring to have
the Geological Park Probably neither Mr..
Dockery nor Mr.. Clements intended to be I'M
fair in his treatment Of the question under dis
cussion. But in effect their suggestions on
this subject are gravely unjust. As often as
these misleading statements concerning the atti-
tuds of the District toward the Zoo proposition
are made, Just as often ought they
to be corrected. The District denies
point-blank that it anxiously desired and
worked for a local zoo. 1t af,irms that the es
adjustment Of that Institution was due to the
energetic labors of Mr.. HorEaday and SEN
ator Beck. who contemplated an extern
sion at the governments expense of the
geological collection already owned by
the government, the avowed object being
the scientific purpose of preserving the
characteristic types Of American animals from
extinction. The popular movement for Rock
Greek park ousht not to be confused with
the Smithsonian Institutions project Nor
should the latter, still left under the
Smithsonian's control, be converted by
Congress from the proposed scientific
adjunct of the institution into a nominal loca.
zoo of the ordinary kind, to satisfy an imagi
nary craving of the reople of Washington fo-
msnagerie entertainment, ard to be paid
for ordinary municipal under
n, L. h 70
members OF Congress to say that the District
asks for and gets these things for its benefit
and then does not want to pay for them. Such
= charge has no application in the matter OF the
zoo. Congress is not committed 10 any partic-
ular use Of the acres of land purchased on
Rock creek. The purposes for which it
il now proposed to appropriate are not
those Of Mr.. Hornaday, who secured
the passage Of the original legislation. In
addition to changes in the geological plans
the tendency has been noted to use the ground
for other scientific, especially astronomical
purposes. The erection Of an astro-physical
observatory has been proposed. The ami
mails for zoo have not yet been purchased
nor have the grounds been arranged and the
buildings erected to adapt the park to zoo pur-
poses. Washington has not secured the zoo
and then fought against pay 1g for it. Under
the proposition now before It Congress
is to determine whether the establishment
and maintenance of Zoo are wise municipal
undertakings of the Distr :; Of Columbia. 1t
makes no difference what view member, may
hold as to the proper Ici'i Citations Of Dis
trict and nation. The d. ii 8, to its legi
lature: Il canno; afford to pa - $4,000
this year for an. a::. l. animal no .sI'. nj
the item as municip Ilch rg, i; gross extrava-
gance. II the animals cannot be bought ex-
cept at my expense do not buy them Those
members who do not favor the supply Of means
to the Smithsonian Institution from the ma
tional purse to enlarge its scientific col |
lection Of living animals ought to en-
deavor to strike out altogether the |
items for the maintenance Of Zoo. The land |
il a good purchase and will not spoil. 1t can |
be used hereafter in connection with Rock |
Greek park or as the site of astro-physical and |
other observatories, or as the site Of a Presi- |
dents House, or as the location Of local Zoo
when the District finances are in con-
dition to permit it to indulge in this luxury,
and the future use to which it is put can deter
mine how it is to be paid for. To avoid a def
cheney in meeting necessary current expendi-
lures no present expense in connection with
Zoo must be exaeted from the District II
this imposition can be avoided the chances are
that the payment of the water main charge in
installments will be permitted, and no def
cheney will occur.