166 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
tions than had I. The situation as to the efforts made with 
the court to make a change in the appointment of commis- 
sioners in 1895, had been fully reported to me by my 
friends, some of whom were then consulted by Judge Depue 
before he made that change. 
The final decision then made in my favor was the-result 
of the action taken by my friends, unknown to me until 
after the commission was appointed. 
My experience during the two years in the second com- 
mission had made the situation, as it existed at this time, 
as clear as the noonday sun. It was perfectly evident from 
Mr. Murphy’s bearing and conversation with me that he 
would do what he could to prevent my reappointment. Al- 
though our personal relations had remained courteous, and, 
in a measure, to all appearances, friendly, our views as to 
policy and method in the management of the park depart- 
ment were, from the outset, radically at variance. We dif- 
fered on almost every vital principle, from the plan of pro- 
cedure in laying out the parks and the impending contest 
with the trolley companies over the parkways, to the reten- 
tion of Counsel Munn. The official records and correspon- 
dence make this situation for that two years, from first to 
last, perfectly clear. Every one knew, who knew anything of 
the conditions as they existed in April, 1897, that both 
Commissioner Murphy and Counsel Munn were in close 
touch, directly or indirectly, with Judge Depue. 
Weeks before the expiration of my term as commissioner, 
my friends expressed to me their fears that the influences 
so inimical to my reappointment might prevail. My an- 
swer was: That while I fully appreciated the circumstances, 
I would not seek the appointment. The original suggestion 
that the appointing power be placed with the court had been 
made by me, and the full responsibility had, in accordance 
with that suggestion, been by law conferred upon the judge; 
that if appointed I would, at least for the present, accept 
the office, but would not vary from the conviction and prin- 
ciple I had always believed in and adhered to—that the 
office should seek the man, not the man the office, 
