FIFTY-SECOND CONGRESS, 1891-1893. 1619 
Mr. H. C. Snoperass. Mr. Chairman, for the purpose of saying a 
few words on the pending paragraph, I move a pro forma amendment. 
I think this item should be stricken from the bill. I believe that it is a 
useless expenditure. I do not believe it will add anything to science 
~ or education to expend $35,000 to send a set of political employees 
over the country to dig into Indian mounds and publish accounts of 
of whatever they may find there. Now, I desire to ask the Chairman 
of the Committee on Appropriation [Mr. Holman] whether, in his 
opinion, this item is necessary to the public good, or whether it is not 
a useless expenditure of the public funds? 
Mr. Hotman. After my friend has concluded I will say a word on 
that point. 
Mr. Snoperass. Well, I have said about all that I want to say. I 
can not see that any good is to result from this appropriation. 
- Mr. Hotman. Mr. Chairman, for many years prior to the present 
year we have appropriated $40,000 for this service. For the present 
fiscal year $50,000 was appropriated. Every gentleman here is, of 
course, familiar with the character of this work with reference to 
American ethnology. It is an enterprise carried on under the Smith- 
sonian Institution; but Major Powell, who is connected with the Inte- — 
rior Department, and is one of the most accomplished scientists that 
our age has produced, has the supervision and control of the work. 
It has certainly been well performed. I think that no publication 
made by the Government, especially of a scientific character, has been 
more valuable or more interesting; and if any such work should be, 
at the present time, conducted to its conclusion, this is a work of that 
kind. It is in progress; it is approaching completion. I believe that 
ten volumes embracing results of this work have already been pub- 
lished. Some of the most valuable matters connected with our history 
in connection with the Indian tribes, their cessions of land to the 
United States, etc., are embodied only in this publication. 
In preparing this bill we have thought that under the circumstances 
the appropriation should be reduced from $50,000 to $35,000, the 
amount named in the bill. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [ Mr. 
Bingham] complains that this is not enough; the gentleman from 
Georgia [|Mr. Moses] complains that it is $35,000 too much, that the 
whole item ought to be stricken out. I think that the Committee on 
Appropriations have acted reasonably and prudently in leaving this 
item at $35,000. If the Committee of the Whole, however, should 
think it can be properly reduced, the Committee on Appropriations, 
of course, will not object; but I hope the entire item will not be 
struck out. I think the material on hand ought to be made use of, 
and this work completed as soon as practicable. 
Mr. C. E. Hooxrr. I want to ask the chairman of the Committee 
on Appropriations [Mr. Holman] if he will be kind enough to state 
to this House when this Bureau was created, how long it has been 
