Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-24
The idea seems to prevail in the House tina,

The idea seems 10 prevail IN the House that
rs the government now pays fair proportion
% the ordinary expenses of the capital, and as
there are some small items in respect to which
1t pays, perhaps more than its Just proportion,
therefore the District onght not to complain
when national expenditures, however large.
are imposed upon il. The people Of the Dis
trict ask only justice. The implied agree
ment in the beginning. when the inhabitants
Of the city were few and when the original
owners Of the soil gave more than half OF the
city 10 the government outright. was that the
work of developing the pretentions capital
which the government had planned should be
performed BY the government. But the United
States did not fulfil the national obligation,
though reports of Congressional committees
repeatedly recognized its existence.
The work of capi,sl-making was LEI.
substantially TO the people OF the
city who staggered for more than three
fourths OF u century under n load heavier than
they conld bear. Comparatively recently in
the history of the city the government has met
half Of the expense which in the beginning it
was to have paid entirely and which for the
greater part of the city's history Il imposed
almost exclusively upon the local residents.
The District il willing. even anxious. that
an account shall be struck, taking
into consideration the local and
government expenditures upon the
city from the beginning, and Judgment passed
upon the result Such reckonings have been
made and reported to Congress. and in the
face Of the showing which they make il is wholly
unreasonable to contend that general policy
of fair treatment for the present. which does
not even compensate for the neglect and in
Justice of the past, should quiet local complaints
Of improper exactions in details of items relat-
ing to the present and future. The expenditure
over which the present discussion takes
place 10 that for the maintenance of a
geological park. 1t is insisted by some
members Of Congress that the people of the
District did ask and work for local nlensgerie
that the benefits of such menagerie will be
enjoyed mainly by the small boys Of the Dis
trict, and that not only one-half, but all of the
expense should be paid by the District What
the District asked for was the Rock Creek Ma
tional Park. What it wanted for itself was a
breathing place" and a protection against the
conversion of Rock creek into an open sewer.
The menagerie was the pet scheme of Mr.
Hornaday and the Smithsonian Institution,
which already had the pucleus Of collec-
hSh IA Tvs pOSsCS,Acu. SAcmUtTb VI
the House say that the Zoo" IL a local institu-
ton in other cities and should be paid for by
Washington. Very well. Treatit as local in
stitution here. Put the ground which has been
purchased in charge Of the Commissioners.
Postpone the purchase of the wild animals I'M
til the District can afford to pay for them and
to indulge in the luxury of a Zoo Of its own.
Or let the ground purchased for Zoo be
merged in the National Rock Creek Park.
Strike out the items for the purchase,
one-half at District expense, of wild animals to
be under the charge of the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition and owned by the government. Strike
out the item for the present fitting up the
ground for geological exhibits. What taxpay-
ers of the District are demanding that over
50, 900 Of their money which is needed this
year for street Improvements and other current
expenditures shall be paid for monkeys. monkey
houses. &c? II Congress is to act in this mat
ter the Legislature Of the District and to rep
resent their wishes as to the dis
bursement Of their taxes, it will not
spend one cent of their money in this way,
even il the Smithsonian Institution is pre-
vented from purchasing wild animals for the
present. Either the government which is to
get title to the animals should buy them for it.
self, or they should not for the present at least
be purchased at all.