A CHANGE IN THE CURRENT val 
Though “oft expectation” had, with many, in this in- 
stance failed, the appointments were made, the provision of 
the law in this respect had been complied with; the past was 
a finality beyond recall, and the question now became: What 
was forward, and would the current of park affairs flow on- 
ward as smoothly and rapidly as before? 
On April 20, 1895, the newly-appointed commissioners, 
Messrs. Peck, Meeker, Shepard, Kelsey and Murphy, took 
the prescribed oath of office and the same afternoon met in 
the rooms of the former commission for organization. When 
the question of selecting officers was taken up, Commis- 
sioner Murphy, whose appointment was for the full term of 
five years, made the surprising statement that Judge Depue 
had expressed the wish that Mr. Peck should be president, 
Mr. Shepard vice-president, and himself (Mr. Murphy) the 
treasurer. 
Two of these three commissioners, now placed in control 
of the board, who had just received their appointment and 
who then, for the first time, came into the park enterprise, 
all made and created, with the $2,500,000 to expend, were 
lifelong “always to be depended upon” Republicans, and 
were directly installed as officers at the request of the court. 
Discussion, however, as to the judge’s right to thus deter- 
mine the organization followed. Why should he assume to 
encroach upon this prerogative of the board in deciding for 
itself who the officers should be? No satisfactory answer 
was given. Mr. Murphy was disposed to press the point, 
and promptly offered a motion that Mr. Peck be made presi- 
dent. Mr. Meeker said he thought the board competent to 
select its own officers. Mr. Shepard said he thought the 
vice-presidency should remain the same as in the previous 
commission. Mr. Peck was, as usual in discussion, silent. 
“Mr. Meeker,” I remarked, “has been an active member 
of the first commission and a satisfactory treasurer. Why 
this desire for change?” 
As the prospect for differences in the board at the very 
outset was not an agreeable one to contemplate, and as no 
one then seemed to care who the officers were sufficiently to 
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