KIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS, 1889-1891. 1369 
the House to concur with the Senate, that vote will pass the bill 
and place upon the Government of the United States the sole expense 
of the improvement and maintenance of this park now, and prac- 
tically hereafter, and will involve, in justice and equity, a refund to 
the District of Columbia of the $100,000 that has already been paid 
from the revenues of the District for the purchase of this park. I 
trust the House will not concur with the Senate. In my opinion, 
when the United States Government values its public buildings in this 
city and all its reservations (of which there are hundreds at all these 
street crossings), when it improves them at the sole expense of the 
United States, and provides watchmen for their care at the sole 
expense of the United States, and then. when it assents to the propo- 
sition that the United States owns the fee simple of all the streets and 
alleys in the District of Columbia and values them, and upon that val- 
uation and the valuation of its parks and public buildings comes in 
and-says it will assent, in consideration of the sole ownership of the 
streets and the parks, that the United States shall pay one-half the 
expense of running the District government, that is a very liberal 
provision for the District of Columbia, to be made at the expense of 
the Federal Treasury. 
Mr. A. J. Hopxrys. Will my colleague permit me to ask him a 
question 4 
Mr. Cannon. Yes, sir. 
Mr. Hopxins. Do I understand that a vote in favor of the motion 
made by the gentleman from Maryland |Mr. McComas] will saddle the 
entire expense of this park upon the Government, and that a vote in 
favor of the motion made by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Can- 
non| will divide the expense between the District of Columbia and the 
Government? 
Mr. Cannon. Precisely. The gentleman’s understanding is correct. 
Now, I want to say one word more. I wish to deal liberally with the 
District of Columbia. Congress governs the District of Columbia. 
We all take pride in the national city. We believe in putting up 
public buildings that will be an ornament and will serve the purposes 
of the Government properly, and now, at this day, the rate of taxation 
upon property in the District of Columbia will not average one-half of 
the rate of taxation in our respective towns and cities throughout this 
country. 
I do not complain of this, but it is so favorable to-the District that 
rich people and people of leisure throughout the length and breadth of 
this land are encouraged to come to the District of Columbia and make 
their homes here so as to escape the more onerous taxation to which 
they would be subjected if they held their residences in their respec- 
tive States. Iam not grumbling at this; Iam merely calling attention 
to it. Other cities, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, every city that 
