MOEE BON^DS AND "HIGH FINA^TCE" 151 



inexperienced and ambitious legislators.'^ "The park com- 

 mission Isiw" is thus pronounced "radically wrong in its 

 conception and constrnction." 



Answer was made that snch views belonged to the "Rip 

 Van Winkle order of observation/' ignored the teachings of 

 experience with elective boards in inaugurating large 

 schemes of public improvements, and disregard the fact that 

 park making is in itself a special undertaking quite unlike 

 the ordinary administration of public affairs. 



The converts to the elective plan side of the question have 

 apparently continued to rapidly grow in numbers. Since the 

 discussion over the last million-dollar appropriation, and 

 the question of mandatory maintenance in 1902, and the 

 war for eight years waged over the parkways, it is extremely 

 doubtful whether the number averse to an appointive park 

 board has not been materially augmented : And equally 

 doubtful whether if the proposition to continue the present 

 appointive system w^ere now submitted to the voters of 

 Essex County it would not be by a liberal majority defeated. 



PUBLIC NOT ENTHUSIASTIC. 



In 1897, however, the agitation soon ceased. As there 

 was no immediate prospects of the law's being changed, the 

 discussion in January of that year soon turned upon the 

 financial aspects of the enterprise. The attitude of the 

 public, as voiced by the press, was not enthusiastic. It was, 

 indeed, largely apathetic or distinctly unfavorable. Aside 

 from the generous view taken by Monsignor Doane and a 

 few ardent supporters of the commission, the comments not 

 infrequently conveyed a tone of severe criticism. The pub- 

 lic was reminded of the promise of the first commission as 

 to the completion of the parks and parkways for the 

 $2,500,000 appropriation. 



While many readily accepted the theory that all such ap-^ 

 propriations were subject to additional or later demands^ 

 others were outspoken in their objection to the way the af- 

 fairs of the Park Board had been managed. No charges of 

 bad faith, which I can recall or find in the various records 



