CHAPTER XI. 
A CHANGE OF COMMISSIONERS. 
In the early afternoon of April 20, 1897, my former col- 
league on the first commission, George W. Bramhall, called 
me by telephone and asked for an appointment at my house 
that evening. It was accordingly made. From the time of 
our appointment on the first Park Board in June, 1894, 
our personal relations had been cordial, and, in park mat- 
ters, intimate. After April, 1895, when I was reappointed 
on the permanent commission and he was not, we had con- 
ferred on many of the more important park subjects. 
When his appointment on the first commission was rec- 
ommended it was recognized that he was a man of cultiva- 
tion and taste in park matters; that he entertained broad 
views on that subject, and that, as commissioner, he would 
have “no ax to grind” in bringing to bear on the problems 
involved his experience and ability shown in other direc- 
tions. This estimate of his qualifications was, I think, vin- 
dicated during the two terms of his service as commissioner. 
UNDERLYING CONDITIONS. 
It may be well to here state the underlying conditions at 
the time of the conference mentioned. My two years’ term 
as park commissioner expired that day. For some months, 
even prior to the Munn dismissal incident, there were pow- 
erful corporate and political interests, which for reasons 
that may be readily inferred from the reading of the facts 
contained in this history, were averse to my reappointment. 
This condition was materially accelerated by the contest 
over the parkways begun the November previous, and by 
my attitude in insisting that the counsel attend to his duties 
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