CONTEST FOR PARKWAYS CONTINUED 211 
electorate of the county at the spring election, April 21 
following. 
The same report, of 1897, in referring to the parkways 
(page 15), also contained a clause which was at once con- 
strued by many as a sop to the traction interests. It was 
thus treated by the opposition as another evidence that the 
Park Commission was not, after all, averse to a “trolley on 
the avenue,” when it officially there stated: “The location 
of the county parks will induce, no doubt, the rapid transit 
eompany to seek ways of approach thereto, and the commis- 
sion will aid this endeavor so far as, in its judgment, is con- 
sistent with park treatment and use. Parks must be made 
accessible to the people, and any reasonable plan for rapid 
transit will be favored by the commission. In fact, almost 
all the parks are now accessible and by different routes.” 
This feature of the commission’s report in inserting a 
“but,” an “and” or an “if,”’ became a marked characteristic 
of its later utterances on the parkway question; and, in- 
deed, to an extent that was as bewildering to its most loyal 
friends and supporters as it was encouraging to the opposi- 
tion, which was steadily and unceasingly making the most 
of every opportunity to take advantage, either of dissension 
or uncertainty, to advance the scheme of appropriation of 
the avenues for railroad uses. This was distinctly the effect 
in Orange. Councilman Stetson had, at the spring election 
in 1898, been chosen Mayor. It was currently reported, and 
not to my knowledge ever denied, that the traction company 
made an exceedingly liberal contribution then, as afterward, 
to his “campaign expenses.”’ His prestige as Mayor in op- 
posing the avenues’ transfer was proportionately increased, 
for now he had the veto power, which, under the system of 
government in this country, whether with the President, 
the Governor of a State, or the Mayor of a city, is a 
powerful leverage. 
The transfer ordinance continued to slumber in posses- 
sion of the Street Committee. The pleadings by press and 
public urging further action by the Park Commission con- 
tinued, On July 27, 1898, Mayor Stetson sent a special 
