FIFTIETH CONGRESS, 1887-1889. 1185 
Mr. McMrxurn. The gentleman has referred to parks that have 
been purchased or made by other cities, and to the expenditures 
incurred therefor. 
Mr. Hempnuity. Yes, sir. 
Mr. McMixun. Does the gentleman propose that the city of Wash- 
ington shall do what those other cities have done, pay for the parks 
that it gets, or does he propose that they, in conjunction with the bal- 
ance of the people of the United States, shall pay for it, and that his 
constituents and mine shall pay for part of it? 
Mr. Hempuitt. I will say to the gentleman that so far as I am con- 
cerned I would propose that the citizens of the United States should 
do with reference to this public park as they do with reference to all 
other public improvements in this District; that is, that they should 
pay their fair share of the cost of the park. We own one-half of the 
property in the District. It belongs to the United States, and the 
concurrence of opinion has been up to this time that the Government 
of the United States ought not to own half the property here unless 
it is willing to pay half the expenses. 
Mr. McMixurn. Will the gentleman permit another question ? 
Mr. Hempuitt. Yes, sir. 
Mr. McMiuu1n. The gentleman says that the people of the United 
States own one-half of the property here? 
Mr. HempuHity. Yes, sir. 
Mr. McMru1n. In order to arrive at that estimate is it not a fact 
that the parks themselves which are now established here have been 
charged to the people of the United States as a part of their property ? 
Mr. Hempuiiy. Well, sir, if they are a part of the property of the 
United States, and if the United States is not satisfied to hold them or 
to pay taxes upon them, let the Government sell them or erect public 
buildings on them. 
Mr. McMurry. Furthermore, is it not the fact that the streets 
have been charged against the United States in order to make up that 
estimate ? 
Mr. Hemputiiy. Ob, that is neither here nor there. 
Mr. McMrxuin. I will say to my friend that that is here. That is 
a fact, and is going to remain here. 
Mr. Hempuityu. Well, that may be a fact; but if so, it is a fact by 
the action of Congress, and it is not fair to blame the people of the 
District for something which Congress has done of its own free will. 
Mr. McMiuun. But you are endeavoring now to get Congress to 
do something more in the same direction. 
Mr. Hempurtyi. Well, if we have done an erroneous thing in the 
past, the proper remedy is not to deny to the people of this District a 
public park such as the people of other cities have. The proper 
remedy is to go to work now to regulate properly the proportion of 
H. Doc. 732 15 
