I would question just how you think Lews and Clark are even vaguely analogous to MArs, and second, because there were economic incentives to exploring the west it would have gotten done by private ventures
What does the Smithsonian have to do with anything? It's marvelous entertainment to be sure, but still entertainment at the taxpayers' expense.
Are you aware that the Smithsonian was bankrolling some big time honcho who was crashing aeroplanes into the Potomac at the same time that the Wright brothers were developing their airplane? This "socialism" as you call it has been going on since the birth of the Republic.