Bill-board Legislation 
Fletcher Steele 
You no doubt know that the people of Massachusetts lately 
voted to amend the C'^nstitution of the Commonwealth to permit the 
restriction and regulation of bill-boards by law. Consequently the 
General Court passed a law to this effect and delegating the power to 
carry out and enforce the law to the Highway Commission. We have 
an enlightened, able and conscientious board of highway commis- 
sioners of whom the Chairman, Mr. Sawyer, has long been interested 
in ameliorating the bill-board nuisance. For instance, bill-boards for 
advertising purposes have been for some time prohibited on all land 
included within the boundaries of Massachusetts highways. 
The Commission held a public hearing about the middle of Septem- 
ber at short notice, about which I was immediately informed by the 
courtesy of the North Shore Garden Club. I attended as the official 
representative of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects. The 
public showed its interest by an unexpectedly large attendance, the 
North Shore Garden Club being strongly represented not only by mem- 
bers but by Mr. Homans, an appointed spokesman and legal adviser. 
The Commission opened the conference by announcing their new 
responsibilities to restrict and regulate bill-boards as imposed by law; 
explained that the regulations must be defined and stated by the 
Commission; and asked the public for suggestions. 
In my opinion the most significant development to be considered 
by the Bill-board Committee of the Garden Club of America was 
the fact that the opponents of bill-boards, with minor exceptions, were not 
ready with any concrete suggestions to aid in drawing up a set of rules 
and regulations for bill-board abatement or suppression. While this was 
due in part to the short notice of the hearing, it was also evident that 
the principal reason was ignorance of the legal limitations and property 
rights involved, all effort being given to reasons why and not to 
methods how bill-boards should be abolished. On the other hand ad- 
vertisers and their legal advisers were always ready with phrases. 
The upshot was the announcement of another hearing to be held in 
October and the request by the Commission that all interested parties 
should forward in writing their suggestions for drafted regulations to 
the Highway Commission by October ist. A Committee of bill-board 
opponents was immediately formed to draw up suggestions for such 
regulations and all were invited to join. I informed Mr. Gallagher, 
President of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, who decided 
at once that we must be represented on this Committee. Many inter- 
esting ideas were drawn out at the hearing, particularly those showing 
the attitude of legislators toward the legal aspect of bill-board leg- 
islation and their relation to property rights. 
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