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FIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS, -1889-1891. 1433 
all the work is well superintended by competent men. Even if I 
visited the grounds I do not know that I could make any beneficial 
suggestions, and we Congressmen all have enough to do here without 
spending our time in the personal supervision of the park. 
The CuarrMan. The question is upon the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Breckinridge]. 
Mr. Tuomas R. Stockpatez. I desire to offer an amendment to the 
amendment. 
The Clerk read: 
Amend by striking out all after ‘‘subsistence,’’ in line 11, page 35, down to and 
including the word ‘“‘for,’”’ in line 15; and strike out the word “‘seventeen,”’ in line 
15, and insert the word ‘‘seven’’ in lieu thereof. 
The CuarrMan. That would not be in order as an amendment to 
the proposition of the gentleman from Kentucky [Mr. Breckinridge]. 
If the gentleman from Mississippi will withhold it for a moment, until 
the committee dispose of the other question, it will then be in order. 
~ Mr. Rogers. Mr. Chairman I move to strike out the last word. 
My friend from Alabama [Mr. Wheeler] wholly missapprehends 
me if he supposes that in my remarks, which were somewhat humorous 
as well as intended to be practical, I intended to criticise the Board of 
Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. I did not. But what I do 
intend to do is to invite the attention of the committee to the fact that 
the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and two mem- 
bers of Congress and three Senators are not a proper board to look 
after the Zoological Park. 
My friend from Alabama [Mr. Wheeler] can not be expected to 
leave his duties in the House of Representatives to go out and super- 
vise and see that a survey has been made in a proper manner for roads 
and walks, or proper plans and specifications for letting the contract 
for public buildings in the Zoological Park, nor to investigate the 
question of what kind of animals shall be kept in the park. What 1 
think is this, that the organic law itself was wrong in placing the 
Zoological Park under the control of the Board of Regents of the 
Smithsonian Institution. 
Mr. Brecxinriner, of Kentucky. If the gentleman will allow me, 
I do not know whether he has taken the trouble to look into the organ- 
ization of the Smithsonian Institution—I mean that part of it toward 
which his statement is directed. 
Mr. Rogers. Mr. Chairman, possibly I may be in error in the 
observations I am now making. I shall be glad to be corrected if I am 
misinformed. 
Mr. Breckrnriper, of Kentucky. I was going to suggest that if 
the gentleman does look that matter up he will find that the Smith- 
sonian Institution has been organized for many years, in part for the ° 
purpose of obtaining the very best practical and scientific men who 
