1888 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 
Government exclusively, the District of Columbia is not taxed. For 
instance, they pay nothing for the erection of the building—the Library 
—we are putting up, nothing for the public buildings in the city, 
nothing for the repairs of the Treasury Department, which is in the 
urgent deficiency bill. The Government runs itself, pays its own 
expenses, builds its own buildings, makes its own permanent improve- 
ments. All it does in this matter is, that the Smithsonian Institution, 
with its several collateral bureaus, is under the control of the Govern- 
ment. The President of the United States is ex officio its president; 
the Chief Justice of the United States is its chancellor, and we select 
its directors; now why should the District of Columbia pay any part 
of the expense or be allowed to have any voice in the matter? 
Mr. CanpuEr, of Massachusetts. I do not care, Mr. Speaker, to 
enter into the question of the technical relations between the Govern- 
ment of the United States and the District of Columbia, or what rela- 
tions may have existed in the past between them. I wish simply to 
present the propositions which I have already expressed in regard to 
this museum. I will conclude what I desired to say by suggesting that 
in my judgment it is most unwise legislation, for if we are to have a 
museum at all for the nation, one controlled by the Government, then 
the Government should pay the expense of it, and if we can not afford 
to have one on such terms then let us give it up altogether and not 
attempt it. 
Mr. McComas. I yield two minutes to the gentleman from Ken- 
tucky. 
Mr. Brecxinriper, of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, 1 wish simply to 
draw a distinction between this so-called park and the proposed Rock 
Creek Park. Iam opposed to the latter—to the Rock Creek park— 
for the reason that it is a ‘‘dress-parade” park, a park intended for 
beautification, for adornment. 
But the suggestion embodied in this bill has these elements only as 
incidents, and has nothing to do with the purposes of the other park 
atall. This stands upon the same footing as the Bureau of Ethnology, 
for instance, which is under the control of the Smithsonian Institu- 
tion. It stands precisely upon the same ground as expenditures for 
the Smithsonian itself, and is of the same general nature as a bill 
which passed the other day to authorize the Treasury Department to 
employ a man at $10 a day and send him to Alaska to study and learn, 
if possible, the habits of the seal. That is to enable us to understand 
how we shall make contracts about the seal fisheries. These are for 
purposes arising from scientific investigation. 
I only refer to that as an illustration; and the two institutions 
referred to—the two parks—have nothing in common, except that 
both are lands to be purchased by public money. 
Mr. McComas. I now yield to the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Hill]. 
