EXECUTIVE MANSION, _August 7, 1888_.
_To the Senate_:
I return without approval Senate bill No. 1870, entitled "An act
granting the use of certain lands in Pierce County, Washington
Territory, to the city of Tacoma, for the purpose of a public park."
It is proposed by this bill to permit the appropriation for a public
park of a certain military reservation containing 635 acres, which was
set apart for military and defensive purposes the 22d day of September,
1866.
The establishment of this reservation was strongly recommended by high
military authority, and its preservation and maintenance have since that
time been also urged by the same authority.
At this time, when the subject of national defense is much discussed, I
can not account for the apparent willingness to grant, or permit to be
used for other purposes, Government lands reserved for military uses.
I judge from an expression in the letter of the Chief of Engineers, made
a part of the report of the committee of the House to which this bill
was referred, that its original purpose was to absolutely transfer this
reservation to the city of Tacoma. The Chief of Engineers suggested an
amendment to the bill providing that the mere permission to use this
land for a park should be granted, "and that this permission be given
with the full understanding that the United States intends to occupy the
lands or any part of them for military or other purposes whenever its
proper officials see fit to order the same, and without any claim for
compensation or damage on the part of said city of Tacoma."
Instead of adopting the recommendation of the Chief of Engineers the
provision of the bill limiting the extent of the use of this land
declares--
That the United States reserves to itself the fee and the right forever
to resume possession and occupy any portion of said lands for naval or
military purposes whenever in the judgment of the President the exigency
arises that should require the use and appropriation of the same for the
public defense or for such other disposition as Congress may determine,
without any claim for compensation to said city for improvements thereon
or damages on account thereof.
The expediency of granting any right to the occupancy of this land is,
in my opinion, very doubtful. If it is done, it should be in the form of
a mere license, revocable at any time, for the purposes used by the
officers to which its use and disposition are now subject.
It seems to me that if any use of this land is given to the city
of Tacoma it should be with the proviso suggested by the Chief of
Engineers, instead of the indefinite and restricted one incorporated
in the bill.