968 PARKS 



poration. The terms of office of the elective members overlap, three being 

 elected annually. The corporation has the power to increase the number 

 of elective members. All business and affairs, including the financial manage- 

 ment of the corporation, aside from the duties specifically delegated to the 

 scientific directors, are under the control of the board of managers. 



As do public administrative authorities, these private-public adminis- 

 trative agencies have the power to draft and adopt rules and regulations 

 for the government of their activities, draft and adopt rules for the guid- 

 ance of the people in the use of the properties and facilities and to define 

 the duties of the executive officers. In the case of all these forms of private 

 corporate control the administrative authorities have the right to elect their 

 own officers. The officers are usually a president, one or more vice-presidents, 

 a treasurer and a secretary. Neither the members of the administrative 

 boards nor the officers receive any compensation for their services. 



Some of the advantages of these various forms of private-public control 

 of such an institution as a botanical garden may be stated as follows: 



1. It secures the direct and active interest of a considerable body of 

 citizens who are personally interested in the work. 



2. It ensures a continuous sequence of interest and stability in policies 

 and plans which is very difficult to maintain under modern tendencies in 

 municipal government where changes in governing authorities are becoming 

 more and more frequent. 



3. It permits a wide range of permanent affiliations with public and 

 private institutions, the interests of which are in some way related to the 

 purposes and work of the corporation. 



4. Through memberships of different classes not only a fairly wide 

 and direct personal interest is secured but this becomes an important 

 means of supplementing any public funds which may be secured for the 

 work. Because of the character of the service rendered by a botanical 

 garden, persons of means are not only often interested as members and 

 officers but also become willing to give sums of money for specific purposes 

 and for general endowment. The average American while whole-heartedly 

 believing, theoretically at least, in the value and Tightness of the system of 

 popular government, often prefers to give money or other property for 

 public services to a private-public corporation rather than to municipal 

 corporations directly, for he knows that its administration will not be 

 subject to changing political conditions. 



5. There is likely to be more flexibility and greater freedom in handling 

 funds and in formulating and carrying out policies and plans under private- 

 public administration than under municipal control, where there of neces- 

 sity must be very strict interpretation of functions and limiting rules as to 



