The times., 1899-03-01
THE CARE OF THE PARKS.
Discussion on the Sundry Civil Bill
in the Senate.

in the Senate.
During the consideration OF the Sundry
Civil appropriation bill last night Mr..
Chiffon took occasion to criticlse severely
the method of supporting the municipal
government in the District OF Columbia,
and particularly with reference to watch
men for the public reservations and the
maintenance of the Garfield Hospital.
The discussion arose over the following
provision, which was placed in the bill by
the House and stricken out by the Senate
Committee on Appropriations:
Onc-half Of the foregoing under Build
ings and grounds III and around Washington
shall be paid IRON the revenues OF the District
Of Columbia, and the other half from the Treas
ury OF the United States.
Of the whole amount appropriated in the Legis-
latvc, Executive, and judicial appropriation act
for the fiscal year nineteen hundred under the
title Public buildings and grounds the sum of
| 40 shall he paid from the revenues OF the
District of Columbia ard the remainder from the
Treasury OF the United States.
When the bill was read first Mr.. Chiffon
had the section passed over. giving notice
at the time that he should ask that the
action of the committee be set aside and
! the clause remain in the bill.
| In speaking of the matter last night.
! he said that the action of the House was
/ very properly taken. He knew 1t was
customary to say that the people of the
| United States should take great pride in
| the Capital City, and also that great
| deal of property in the District belonged
, to the Government, and all that sort of
| thing.
The taxation of this city. he declared.
| was far less than any other municipality
| of its size in the country. He was amaz-
] ed that it should be held that the people
| at large ought to contribute so per cent
| of the expense of maintaining this munic-
| ipality. and he wanted to submit the
! question to the discrimination and sense
of fairness of the Senate IL it was proper
that the whole expense of maintaining
watchmen at Franklin Park, Lafayette
| Square, the Smithsonian Grounds. Ju-
dietary Square. Lincoln Park. Iowa Circle,
, Thomas Circle. etc. should be borne by
the General Government.
Mr.. Allison explained that the General
Government had borne these expenses
since the law of 1873. and that this was
the first time any proposition had been
made whereby the District should bear
half the sum necessary for the care
| OF these parks. large part of the eX-
pense attached to the care of the
grounds of the Executive Mansion.
Mr.. Faulkner wanted to know if it was
not a fact that the District had no con-
troll whatsoever over these parks and reser-
| it was. They were absolutely under the
supervision of the Superintendent of Pub
lie Buildings and Grounds OF the War
Department. Continuing, Mr.. Allison said
he objected in the last days of a session,
after the Legislative, Executive, and Judi
cial appropriations had been made in an
other bill and had become law. interpola-
ting into this bill that the expenditures
provided for in bill already passed should
not be expended as therein provided. bu,
should be taken in part from the revenue
of the District of columbia.
In replying to the proposition that the
parks were under the War Department
Mr.. Chiffon said the Superintendent o
Public Buildings and Grounds was ap-
pointed by the President the same as the
District Commissioners. and that 1t wa:
no answer to the question to say that the
parks were not under the supervision o
the District. that the Commissioners dit
not represent the District any more thar
, the War Department official in that re
spect and in this connection he referret
to the maintenance OF Garfield Hospital