EXPEEIEJsTCES— EECOMME^s^DATIONS 297 



in any State, county, municipality or the smallest borough 

 or hamlet, concurrently with republican institutions. 



Such conditions of continuous secret sessions in exercis- 

 ing the control and expenditure of yast amounts of public 

 funds and the transaction of public business generally, are, 

 to my mind, not only un-American and contrary tO' the 

 principle upon which our system of goyernment rests, but 

 they constitute a wrong upon eyery citizen and taxpayer, 

 who is entitled to the seryices of the best men who can be 

 selected for filling important positions of public trust, and 

 who should haye the unquestioned right at all times to 

 know how the business for which he is contributing both 

 the cash capital and the power conferred is being conducted. 



Perhaps one of the most eSectiye remedies for correcting 

 errors or defects in such matters is publicity ; and for con- 

 tinued star chamber proceedings of public boards, more 

 publicity. 



FOR PARK MAINTENAN-CE. 



Third; — In return for the millions of dollars in free 

 franchises heretofore granted in Essex Count}^, a plan 

 might well be enacted into law, which would, by a sufficient 

 tax on gross receipts, provide for the entire cost of the care 

 and maintenance of the parks. 



In Baltimore the charters of the street railway com- 

 panies originally provided for a six-cent fare, one cent of 

 which was paid over to the city for park funds. On reduc- 

 tion of the fare to tiye cents the proportion to be paid to 

 the city was reduced to nine per cent of the gross receipts. 

 This payment is rapidly increasing and now amounts to 

 about $400,000 per year. The city has excellent street-car 

 service, and the franchises have proven enormously prof- 

 itable to the companies. 



A similar law applicable to Essex and Hudson counties 

 would not only provide for the entire cost of maintenance 

 of all the public parks, but the revenue would be constantly 

 increasing, and provide funds for the enlarged acquirement 

 of land and for needed improvements. 



