106 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
Mr. Church, that they were not for the public and could not 
be seen.” 
One of the leading Newark papers, in commenting editor- 
ially upon the incident, said: “The Park Commission 
should be compelled to expose to public view the contracts 
made. To keep confidence with bidders is one thing, but to 
let the public know the facts regarding actual business com- 
pleted is a duty which admits of no argument. Every de- 
tail of such an arrangement should be available. The com- 
mission are occupying themselves with expenditure for the’ 
public of money from the public, and owe official existence 
to the public; confidence reposed in the public would seem 
to be nothing more than a report of a servant to a master.” 
Another editorial criticism pointed out that “the bids 
relate to public business, and any citizen who asks for the 
privilege of making examinations of them at a reasonable 
time and in a proper manner should be accommodated. The 
park commissioners ought to understand that they are pub- 
lic officials and that the fact that they are men of standing 
in the community and have had reposed in them a great 
trust, does not mean that they should be permitted to trans- 
act public business as if it were a matter entirely personal 
and private to themselves.” 
And again: “The people of Essex County do not desire 
to have two standards set up for the conduct of public 
boards and officers. They do not want to have some so ex- 
clusive or so lofty in their own esteem that open records and 
open meetings are intolerable to them. As men active in 
public life, the members of the commission will make a 
grave error if they try to assume any such position as that.” 
These cogent and convincing reasons were so thoroughly 
in accord with my own convictions that I soon afterward 
gave notice that later in the year, when the park locations 
were more definitely determined and the needed purchases 
to establish value in each park were made, I should offer a 
resolution providing for all regular meetings of the board 
to be held in open session. Such a resolution was accord- 
ingly offered, and before the following April—at which 
