PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING 
Vol. XVII Chicago, December, 1907 No. 10 
Getting Together for Civic Improvement 
The very successful joint convention of the American 
Civic Association, the National Municipal League, and the 
National Conference for Good City Government at Provi- 
dence, R. L, reported elsewhere in this issue, is evidence 
that the get-together spirit is growing among the civic 
improvement workers. When the forces and organiza- 
tions working for civic betterment are as well organized 
as the forces of self-interest and graft the way to a more 
beautiful America will be open and easy to travel. As 
one of the speakers expressed it, “The American Civic 
Association seeks to promote chiefly the outward beauty 
of cities and towns; the National Municipal League seeks 
to make better cities; both seek to make goodness con- 
crete.” They can therefore well afford to work in har- 
mony. The meetings were more largely attended than at 
any preceding convention, and the hall was crowded to its 
capacity on the “Niagara Evening,” when both sides of 
the Niagara question were presented by capable represen- 
tatives. The fact that the power companies sent officials 
to state their side of the case, is evidence of the force 
of the association and the successful manner in which it 
has handled the campaign for the preservation of the falls. 
If the use of the water of Niagara is limited to the 
capacity of those now using it or having permits to use 
it, the present power companies will be in a very strategic 
position and even motives of self-interest should seem to 
make them powerful allies of those desiring to preserve 
the falls. The billboard nuisance has been a leading issue 
in the association’s campaign during the past year and 
much valuable matter as to methods of fighting it, was 
presented at the meeting. It is to be hoped that the asso- 
ciation will this coming year give special attention to 
pushing the Appalachian and White Mountain reserva- 
tion bills through Congress, by stirring up another Niag- 
ara of public sentiment that will sweep the lethargic Leg- 
islators into action. 
Another Step in the Billboard Campaign 
The Business Men’s Club of Cincinnati whose commit- 
tee reports are before us, is to be highly commended for 
the vigorous stand it is displaying in the cause of the 
“City Beautiful.” This is particularly illustrated in its bill- 
board campaign, a,nd, in fact, public sentiment aroused by 
this energy is rapidly spreading. The leading cities of 
Ohio are becoming thoroughly interested in the work of 
dominating this obnoxious method of public advertising. 
The club’s committee on Municipal Art in charge of the 
billboard nuisance, appears to have found some difficulty 
in securing the best efforts of the press of Cincinnati, due 
possibly to the fear of antagonizing large' 'Advertisers, but 
with the advertisers themselves, so far as the work has 
progressed, there has been a very satisfactory response 
to the committee’s educational campaign having in view 
the suppression of the billboards, many pledges being 
given to this end. There are many business men’s clubs 
throughout the country that ought to take pattern from 
that of Cincinnati, making it one of the chief concerns 
of their being to promote in all ways the improvement. 
upon modern lines, of their home cities, but unfortunately 
the importance of municipal art is a matter of higher edu- 
cation, and it takes time to get it inculcated into the mind 
of the average citizen. However, what is being accom- 
plished by the Cincinnati Club can be done by other such 
associations, and results come quicker under the auspices 
and active interest of a responsible organization. More 
attention is given to its appeals, which being based upon 
business principles demand consideration and invoke con- 
fidence. 
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Encroachments on Existing Improvements 
Another question is rapidly coming to the front in this 
country of ours which will have to be met as time moves 
along, and that is the damage to existing beauty spots, 
parks and such like improvements, likely to occur from 
encroachments upon them by the requirements of com- 
mercial enterprise, or transportation facilities for the gen- 
eral public. This is already being experienced and press 
and public are busy discussing the problem. It is 
most discouraging to believe that after a park, for 
instance, has been established and has become a bless- 
ing to a community, a public work of any kind 
could possibly prove of so much more importance 
that the park must be, in part at least, marred and 
probably destroyed, as to its usefulness as a park, to pro- 
vide for the new necessity. Although we see such things 
happening all over the world, the old giving place to the 
new, the fact points a suggestion that in the study and 
planning of park systems it would be well to give atten- 
tion to the possibility of the site being encroached upon 
for public service in the future. It also very strongly sug- 
gests that no encroachments should be for a moment per- 
mitted where it is in any way possible, by technical skill 
and ability to avoid interference with existing improve- 
ments even at largely added cost. Landscape beauty is 
of too permanent a nature to allow of disturbance, except 
upon absolute public need. 
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The Ohio Park Commission Bill 
At a meeting of park commissioners recently held at 
Columbus, O., a park commission bill was considered and 
approved, whereby any city in the state may have a park 
commission should the people by a vote express a wish 
for it. The duties of such commission will be to lay out 
parks, boulevards and playgrounds, purchase grounds, 
levy taxes and dispose of bonds; but a vote will again be 
necessary to permit of the issue of such bonds. It will 
become the sole duty of five men in each city to give 
special attention to this long neglected but important 
question, and to study the problem of parks and play- 
grounds both for the present and future and prepare plans 
for new systems, additions or improvements. By having 
such a bill carefully prepared and as carefully considered 
by the legislature, wherein all rights are properly con- 
served and safeguarded, it would be possible to take up 
park and playground propositions in any city without the 
prospect of intermeddling byincompetent city councils, 
the matter resting solely upon the vote of the people, be- 
fore whom the merits of the question could be satisfac- 
torily placed. 
