234 



FIRST COUNTY PARK SYSTEM 



found in circulation. The commission farther holds that 

 the question now agitating the public in East 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 frona the East Orange Improvement Society. Each 



