FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS, 1891-1893. 1611 
Mr. Picker. Are you in favor of perpetuating the Smithsonian 
Institution / ; 
Mr. Snoperass. I am in favor of abolishing the institution now 
under consideration, and abolishing it ut once. When we take up the 
Smithsonian Institution I will give you an answer as to that. 
Mr. Loper. Mr. Chairman, as one of the Regents of the Smithso- 
nian Institution appointed by this House, I wish to say a word in regard 
to the treatment which the appropriations for the support of that Insti- 
tution, and also these special appropriations for the park, have received 
at the hands of the committee. If we are going to do anything about 
the Zoological Park it is just as well to come squarely up to the ques- * 
tion, as the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bailey] proposes, and kill the 
institution, as it is to starve it to death with the pretense of giving it 
an appropriation. On the whole, I prefer the plan of the gentleman 
from Texas, who would refuse all appropriations to the park, to that 
of the gentleman from Indiana. I think it is a more honest one. 
But, Mr. Chairman, a word as to the merits of this question. This 
great park was established by the Fiftieth Congress, when there was 
a Democratic House. It was continued and maintained by the Fifty- 
first Congress. It is in line with the general character of the appro- 
priations which have been made by this Government in the interest of 
education and science, and I think from some of the observations that 
I have heard here in regard to these appropriations the cause of educa- 
tion needs promotion. . 
The Smithsonian Institution was founded by the bequest of a private 
individual. Within the last year it has received another bequest of 
$200,000. The income of those great bequests is spent for the benefit 
of the people of the United States. The Government of the United 
States has always helped the Smithsonian Institution in its work in the 
interest of science and education, and I have never heard or read an 
adverse criticism upon the appropriations so made. Scientific collec- . 
tions are part of their work, and among them comes properly a collec- 
tion of the wild animals of our country, many of which are disappear- 
ing. If this collection of animals, established in a suitable park, 
furnishes pleasure and amusement to the people of Washington and 
to thousands of other people who come here from all over the coun- 
try, I am heartily glad of it, and I believe the American people 
thoroughly approve of it. 
When this park was established it was placed by Congress under the 
direction of the Smithsonian Institution. The officers of that Institu- 
tion did not seek this duty; they did not ask to be intrusted with it; 
but the park was put in their hands by Congress. It has been admin- 
istered honestly and economically. But the appropriations as proposed 
in this bill would make it impossible to continue this work. It would 
be unsafe to undertake to maintain it on such appropriations as this 
committee now offers. Not only would the animals starve, but they 
