Idaho County Free Press

WASHINGTON ZOOLOGICAL PARK

The Single Tax Idea Before Congress-A

Hot Discussion as to How the Park

Shall Be Paid For.

The single tax idea came up again the

other day in the House of Representatives,

and though the debate was short,

it took a somewhat wider range than the

previous debate. The question under

consideration was whether the House

should or should not insist upon its

amendment to the Senate bill providing

that half the expense of organizing, im-

proving and maintaining Zoological

park, situated in Washington, should

fall upon the District of Columbia, in-

stead of the whole burden falling upon

the United States, as the Senate pro-

posed. Zoological park should not be

confounded with Columbus park, over

which debate arose in the House recent-

ly. The land for Zoological park was

purchased by an appropriation made in

the last Congress. The question now

was upon its improvement.

Mr. McComas, of Maryland, took the

ground that the object of the park

was not local. It was for the shelter of

animals, for the preservation of fishes

and for the maintenance of specimens.

He admitted that "if this was a ques-

tion where the people of the District of

Columbia were interested in the ad.

vancement of real estate, or interested

for speculative purposes in this proposed

establishment," it would be "well

worthy consideration." But where was

the man who could "rise up in his place

and assert that the citizens of the Dis-

trict of Columbia had ever asked him to

advance the interests of this park or

have a bill passed for either of these

purposes?"

Mr. Brockinridge, of Kentucky, said

that it was a mistake to suppose that

the chief motive in establishing Zoolog-

ical park was to beautify the district,

add to its wealth, and give a place

where the people could go and enjoy

themselves. Incidentally and supple-

mentally this may occur. You can not

have a park of one hundred and fifty-

eight acres, with animals, that will not

attract public attention. They will no

doubt attract public gatherings, but

that is purely accidental." Its real ob-

ject was to foster science, to add another

branch to that great public institution

-the Smithsonian. He, therefore,

maintained that the United States

should pay the whole expense.

Mr. Cogswell, of Massachusetts, want-

ed to know if the proposed park was not

in the nature of a local improvement to

the property of the district. Mr. But-

terworth, of Ohio, answered that every

building put up by the general Govern-

ment, whether in the District of Colum-

bia or in the district of his honored

friend of Massachusetts, was, "in a

sense, local in its influence and a great

advantage to the locality where the

building was erected; but the people of

the locality are not, therefore, taxed for

its construction or maintenance." The

erection of a large building in his own

city, costing eight or ten millions of

dollars, "was an incalculable advantage

to all the property within the range of

the building," yet his people were not

taxed any more than his honorable friend

from Massachusetts to pay for the build-

ing.

But Mr. Cogswell wanted to know if

there was no distinction "between an

ordinary Government building and

great zoological or other park within

three miles of the residence property'

of Washington. Mr. Butterworth re-

plied that he drew a distinction: One

was 'a scientific institution for educa-

tional purposes, the other a building in

which to transact public business,'

Both were "equally national in char-

acter and each in the interest of the

whole people of this country."

Mr. Anderson, of Kansas, in order to

show that the question was a local one

asked if "the city of Cincinnati or Chi-

cago, or any of the considerable cities of

the country would not contribute very

liberally for the location of a national

park there." Mr. Butterworth admitted

that "they might," but he thought that

did not affect the question "whether

they ought to contribute to the estab-

lishment of such a national enterprise.'

Mr. Candler, of Massachusetts, said

that attention has been drawn to the

low rate of taxation prevailing in Wash-

ington. He thought it ought to be low.

"If you wish to be economical in the

salaries of the employees of the govern-

ment you should be careful not to enter

upon the policy of extravagant expendi-

tures that will lay heavy burdens upon

them."

Mr. Hill, of Illinois, saw no good rea-

son for making the people of the district

bear a part of the proposed expense.

This zoological park was very different

from the Columbus park. The former

was to belong to the United States, and

was for the advancement of science, the

latter "directly for the benefit of the

people of the locality where Columbus

park is to be inaugurated or estab-

lished."

Toward the close of the debate Mr.

Hopkins of Illinois got the floor, and de-

clared that Zoological park would not be

less a national park if the wealthy resi-

dents of the District of Columbia were

compelled to bear their fair proportion

of the expense. For it went without argu-

ment that the establishment of the park

had "largely enhanced the value of prop-

erty in all sections of the city of Wash-

ington." "As a matter of equity," then,

"as a matter of just law," he could see

no reason why the people "who have

these little advantages" should not "pay

correspondingly." No such advantage

could be said to arise in favor of the tax

payers throughout the country. Would

any gentleman say that a resident of

his (Mr. Hopkins') district had the

same advantages and could enjoy this

park as well as a person residing in

Washington city? If not, then why

should Congress compel outside people

to pay for it? In view of this, the House

of Representatives should stand by its

former action and should say to the Dis-

trict and the country that it proposes that

this expense "shall be equitably divided

between those who enjoy the results as

special advantages and those who can

only enjoy them for a brief season while

here on pleasure trips."

Despite the complication arising from

the fact that Zoological park is under

the supervision of Smithsonian insti-

tution, and might, therefore, in a sense,

be deemed a governmental affair, when

it came to a test, the House by an over-

whelming vote refused to see that the

people of Washington would not be

greatly benefited, and it, therefore, in-

sisted upon its amendments to the Sen-

ate bill, that half the expense of the

improvements should fall upon the Dis-

trict of Columbia, and called for a con-

ference with the Senate on the subject.