298 FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 
This suggestion will, of course, be promptly met by the 
interested corporations, and perhaps others, with the plea 
that, as many of the most valuable franchises have already 
been granted, and the New Jersey courts having rendered 
decisions against municipalities recovering rights and 
added compensation for privileges heretofore granted, such 
a law is not practicable, nor would its legality be sustained. 
Perhaps the best answer to this contention, may be found 
in the decisions of the United States Supreme Court defin- 
ing the rights of municipalities in dealing with franchise 
values ; also of several of the State courts, not only in ren- 
dering similar decisions, but, in some instances, declaring 
emphatically against the right of any municipal grants for 
the use of the public streets, as public property, in per- 
petuity. The recent popular movement for limited utility 
franchises is merely the advance step in a forward move- 
ment by which, through the regularly constituted channels, 
the people will again come into the possession, by tax or 
otherwise, of at least a fair portion of their own; and some 
of the great values wrongfully taken from them by this 
perpetual franchise process restored. 
If the courts have not yet discovered a way that this 
can be done under the present law, new legislation and 
other courts may discern a new light to that result, as the 
recent illumination of the franchise value question has 
already opened new avenues of action toward better things, 
both in State, County and Municipal affairs. 
FIELD HOUSES FOR PARKS. 
Fourth ;—As public parks are created and maintained by, 
and for, all the people, there should be enlarged opportuni- 
ties and extended conveniences for their enjoyment by the 
general public. These pleasure grounds should not only 
be attractive to the eye in their natural and aesthetic adorn- 
ment, but should also provide every possible feature for 
rest, recreation and benefit, that is consistent with public 
administration. The plan recently adopted by the South 
Park Commission, Chicago, in introducing in ten of the 
