70 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
mented upon by the press. The unexpected had happened. 
The plan of laying out “the best park system that could be 
devised” for the whole county irrespective of local and sec- 
tional lines, which had been the keynote and the foundation 
structure of the work of the first commission, and the rea- 
son for its popular approval, had been by this act of the 
court—where the appointing power had been placed for the 
express purpose of minimizing the chances of failure in the 
execution of the plan—completely reversed. And, in that 
enterprise, a new principle and prerogative was then and 
there established, with two-fifths of the board of new mater- 
ial, one new member an active and ambitious politician, 
both representing large corporation interests—men who 
had had nothing whatever to do with the formulative plans 
or the work of the first commission, and who were not con- 
versant with the causes that had led to the popular success 
of the undertaking up to that time. 
FORMER POLICY REVERSED. 
Whatever may have been the intentions of the court, this 
reversal of policy was the practical effect, as was conclu- 
sively shown at almost the first meeting of the new commis- 
sion and has been more fully demonstrated since. The Daily 
Advertiser referred briefly, though kindly, to the new com- 
mission. The News was editorially non-committal, as were 
many of the other papers, both in and out of the county. 
The Call, while having a good word for the new board, in 
an. editorial note, referring to the appointments, expressed 
this sentiment: 
“The omission of Mr. Bramhall from the park commis- 
sion is incomprehensible. It was hoped and expected that 
his valuable services would be retained in the interest of the 
public throughout the county.” 
In an interview about the same time Senator Ketcham 
said: 
“In appointing the permanent commission I am sorry 
Judge Depue could not continue in office the original 
commission.” ; 
