234 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
found in circulation. The commission farther holds that 
the question now agitating the public in Hast Orange, 
should be decided by those immediately interested and re- 
siding in the locality affected. The counsel of the commis- 
sion asserts that he has not undertaken to represent the 
views of the Park Commission or to speak for it, excepting 
when directed to appear in its behalf, and has at no time 
undertaken to express on behalf of the Park Commission 
any views differing from those set forth in its official acts.” 
The effect of this communication, even on the minds of 
the most loyal friends of the commission, was confusing. 
According to the board’s own statement, its conception of 
the trust reposed in it by the Legislature, and by the peo- 
ple of the whole county, to make and execute its park and 
parkway plans, and create a great park system, was lowered 
behind the screen of the acts of another, and local board, 
which, at best, represented but a very limited part of the 
larger constituency, and which board, from the very circum- 
stances of the case, was known to be especially susceptible to 
the enticing wiles of the corporate and combined political 
influences, which were being continuously exerted, through 
every possible channel and effort, to defeat the commis- 
sion’s own plans for the parkways. The difficulty in the 
practicable application of the commission’s statement to the 
then existing conditions in the East Orange City Council 
was, that its own counsel, J. L. Munn, had preceded the let- 
ter, and the council members were so well satisfied to accept 
his interpretation of the commission’s attitude, as to make, 
at the outset, any efforts for the parkways in that direction, 
hopelessly fruitless. 
A PARKWAYS COMMITTEE. 
The whole parkway subject was then taken up by the 
Joint Committee on Parkways. This committee was or- 
ganized from three committees, one from the New England 
Society, one from the Avenue Association of the Oranges, 
and one from the East Orange Improvement Society. Each 
