Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-27
CRITICISED IN SENATE
DISCUSSION OF THE PARK COM
MISSION PLANS.
Mr.. Hale Declares His Opposition to
the Scheme as Too Vast and
Costly.

The Senate this afternoon passed a reso-
luton providing that Charles Zuebln of
Chicago, president of the American League
for Civil Improvement, might take from the
Library of Congress plans of the park COM
mission of the District of Columbia and ex-
hibit them at ST. Paul. MINI. A bond for
the safe return of these plans is to be given
by Mr.. Zueblin, and no expense to the gov
eminent is to be incurred in the transac-
ton.
This action followed brief and animated
discussion of the park commission and it's
plans. The resolution was introduced by
Mr.. Clapp of Minnesota and, when it was
suggested that it should go to a committee
Mr.. Clapp said that it had been approved
by Senator Mcmillan of the District COM
mittee.
Mr.. Teller inquired whether these plans
for the Improvement of this city had been
accepted by Congress.
This suggestion called out a statement
from Senator Hale, who said that he wished
to protest against any inference that might
be drawn from this resolution by the
ator from Minnesota that the plans for the
improvement of the park system of the
District and other features had been
adopted by Congress. Nothing of that kind
had been done.
I'VE doing nothing whatever" said
Mr.. Hale, ''about this great scheme in ref
erence to Washington. The whole matter
fell absolutely the moment that senators
and representatives began to examine it
No committee has sought to urge it upon
Congress. 1t is purely in the brain of the
architect who has designed this immense
scheme of Improvement that suits him
Mr.. Gallinger said that he knew the scD-
ator from Maine did not wish to do injus-
tice to any one, and especially to the mem
bers of the Senate committee on the Dis
trict of Columbia. That committee he
| said had had idea hat
should adopt these plans. The idea was
merely to formulate upon the advice of a
distinguished commission series of sug-
gestions as to the Improvement of the Dis
trict.
Mr.. Hale repeated that that committee
mad been wise about the matter and had
called halt. 1t saw the magnitude of this
scheme and called halt.
Mr.. Gallinger insisted that the committee
had not called a halt, as 1t we'll understood
| in the first place that Congress could Rot
tinguished architects, while they would like
to see their plan adopted had made no
effort to have this plan approved.
Mr.. Hale resumed to say that he wished
that understood that when this assori-
ment of plans should be started on it's tour
around the country for exhibition purposes
| people should not be given to unders tand
that 1t was a plan approved by Congress-
Il favor almost everything that comes up
| Tor the Improvement of this most important
| ana most beautiful capital city, said Mr..
| Hdle, out am not in favor of this scheme
| which will cost in the end no man can tell
| what-some hundreds of millions of dollars
| believe Congress can be left to do it's own
| work in the improvement of the District
| from year to year. There will be no need
| for the adoption of some scheme for beau
| ufylng this city. 1t will not be done at
! the dictate of any architect who wants to
| embrace the whole thing in one plan. | am
| in favor of the erection of great public i'm
| provements, in favor of improving our
parks and erecting public buildings, so that
| in thirty years from now this will be the
! most beautiful capital city in all the world.
| But protest against anything we do here
| today being considered approval by
| Congress of this vague, vast and extraordi-
| nary scheme
! Mr.. Hale insisted that the resolution
| should go over until tomorrow under the
| rules of the Senate.
conference among senators shortly af-
| terward resulted in Mr.. Clapp again calling
| the resolution up without objection and
! amending it so that instead of going to ST.
| Paul and other cities the plans should go
| only to st. Paul, and other cities being
stricken from the resolution. In that form
| the resolution was passed The resolution
will go to the House of Representatives for
/ action also, although the plans were pre-
| pared under resolution of the Senate and
| paid for out of the contingent fund of the
| Senate.