EXPERIENCES—RECOMMENDATIONS = 295 
sioners and the chosen representatives of the people has 
given that city a “model” Park Board, and a park system, 
for its size, perhaps second to none. Both in Minneapolis 
and Hartford the comparatively large Commissions were 
evidently created with the view that in numbers there is 
safety, and with the belief that the combined judgment of 
many is preferable in such important matters to the de- 
cision of the few. 
In most of the instances above cited, as in most American 
and foreign cities, the office and position of park commis- 
sioner is an honorary one, the members serving during their 
term of office without compensation. The notable excep- 
tions are the single-headed commissions, where, as a rule, 
a salary is paid in conformity with the scale of salaries in 
the other city departments. In New York the three Com- 
missioners are paid $5,000 per year each. 
INQUIRIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 
In response to the direct inquiry as to my conviction 
or recommendation as to changes in the law affecting Essex 
County park matters: I favor an elective commission. I 
believe, as I did when the amendments to the park charter 
were under consideration in 1895 (as described in Chapter 
III), that “the people can be trusted on the issue.” The 
recent popular uprising, here as elsewhere, all over the 
country for better municipal and legislative condi- 
tions, again vindicates the sound principle upon which our 
. elective system is founded, and creates a new condition 
favorable to enlarged opportunities for the selection of 
such officials directly by the electorate, without the inter- 
vention or assistance of the courts. Under an elective sys- 
tem, the taxpayers, who foot the bills for public parks, have 
the opportunity of directly expressing their confidence in 
the men who are to spend their money. In the appointive 
system, as now in force in Essex County, no such oppor- 
tunity exists, and to establish official responsibility to the 
people is a roundabout course, and an uncertain determina- 
tion o£ eonelusion to reach. If the court appointive plan 
