ANOTHER APPROPRIATION 287 
holders, in the county tax levy each year, of “not less than 
one-half of one mill on the dollar, nor more than three- 
fourths of a mill on the dollar, of the assessed valuation of 
the taxable property and ratables of the said county,” the 
“amount to be paid over to and expended by the commis- 
siony’ unless the “Park Commission shall certify to the 
Beard of Chosen Freeholders that a less amount is needed 
for the maintenance of the park system during that year,” 
etc. The measure met with active opposition. The Repub- 
lican county organization was up in arms directly. Carl 
Lentz, at the Lincoln Day dinner in East Orange, the 
evening of February 12, 1902, took advantage of the oppor- 
tunity accorded him of speaking by giving a tedious argu- 
ment against the bill, interspersed with the usual specious 
plea of home rule. Some of the newspapers lined up with 
“the organization” in disfavoring the bill. 
The measure passed the Legislature, was approved, and 
thus became the law, on March 28, 1902. The act con- 
tained a referendum clause and was submitted to the voters 
of the country at the fall election, November 2. Only 
285467 votes were cast—16,379 for and 12,088 against. the 
bill, making the majority but 4,291 for the entire county. 
In November, 1902, the Park Board made a requisition 
for $100,000 for maintenance account, under the pro- 
visions of this law. The amount provided for maintenance 
for the current year (1905) is $118,586.25. 
ANOTHER MILLION DOLLAR APPROPRIATION. 
Long before 1902 it was known to the commissioners 
that additional funds would be asked, by another issue of 
park bonds, notwithstanding the pledges made in 1898, 
when the last $1,500,000 were called for, that that amount 
would “be sufficient to leave the county in possession of a 
park system, properly connected with parkways, second to 
none in the country,” as previously quoted. At the board 
meeting of November 26, 1901, the commissioners had the 
subject of, and estimates for, another appropriation for- 
