1204 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
Then, from the zoological garden, pure and simple, came the 
grandly organized boom for Rock Creek Park. The monkey garden, 
true to its nature, has evoluted into this gigantic demand on the 
national taxpayer. The ‘‘greatest show on earth” can crowd under 
canvas, but the proposed zoo wants half a township. There is nothing 
mean about local enterprise when it can draw drafts on the United 
States Treasury. Where is this park to be located? The gentleman 
from South Carolina [Mr. Hemphill] grew eloquent and pathetic asking 
breathing places for the poor; but he asks us to put this park, not on 
the redeemed lands near the river, but away off in the region of the 
suffering and oppressed rich people, of whom you can not find enough 
to redeem Sodom remaining in the city, during the hot, sultry days of 
which he speaks. 
Where are the petitions from the great mass of the citizens for this 
park? If Dives demands, why does not Lazarus even petition? 
There is and can be no blackmail in raising the price of this land, because 
we do not want this park now nor will we ever want it in the future. 
If the backers of the movement want this land let them buy it them- 
selves. The people of the United States do not want it. Iam a true 
friend of this beautiful city and its people. The trouble is a few 
here undertake to speak for the majority. It is hard here to get gen- 
uine public opinion on local questions. In my opinion what is needed 
is good, old-fashioned, American local self-government. 
Let the people rule. Divorce this unnatural partnership between 
the District and United States Government. Let the people choose 
their rulers, and through them say what they want, and then put 
their hands in their own pockets and pay for it like the manly, inde- 
pendent Americans they claim to be. In the meantime down brakes, 
hard and strong, on speculative adventures at the expense, to a large 
extent, of the Federal taxpayers. ; 
The Speaker. The time of the gentleman has expired. 
Mr. Ciements. Mr. Speaker, I yield two minutes to the gentleman 
from West Virginia [Mr. Wilson]. 
Mr. Wiiui1am L. Winson, of West Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I do not 
want to participate in this discussion, but I have a great interest in 
questions affecting the District of Columbia, and in questions which 
are of great interest to my friend from Iowa [Mr. Henderson]. I have 
still a recollection of the strong comradeship that grew up between us 
in the last Congress when we had very hard battles over the District 
appropriations in the closing hours of the session. I have been called 
upon to confirm the statement made by the gentleman from Pennsyl- 
vania recently as to the origin of the appropriation for the water- 
works of the District of Columbia. That appropriation, Mr. Speaker, 
was not made upon the regular appropriation bill for the District of 
Columbia. It will be found in the statutes of the Forty-seventh Con- 
