405 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENTS MEET AT KANSAS CITY 
For the fourth 
time in its history 
and the first time 
in ten years the 
Assoc i a t i o n of 
American Ceme- 
tery Superintend- 
ents has met west of the great father 
of waters, the order of these occa- 
sions being' Minneapolis, ’93 ; St. Louis, 
'96 ; Omaha, ’98 ; and the twenty-second 
annual convention at Kansas City, Au- 
gust 11, 12 and 13, 1908. 
The attendance was good, the program 
excellent, the atmospheric conditions far 
more agreeable than some had antici- 
pated, the park and boulevard systems 
a revelation, the cemeteries beautiful in 
plan and modern in management, all 
combining to make the business sessions, 
the sight seeing and the tours of inspec- 
tion thoroughly enjoyable and profitable. 
Headquarters were at the Coates 
House and the business sessions on the 
first day were held in the Casino, a con- 
vention hall convenient to the hotel. 
President Fred R. Diering presided 
and George 'W. Creesy offered prayer. 
Hon. T. T. Crittenden, Jr., mayor of 
Kansas City, extended a most cordial 
greeting to the visitors and had some 
pleasant things to say about the attrac- 
tive features and progressive spirit of 
the city, which he confidently believed 
would within twenty-five years be the 
greatest inland city in the United States 
in population, excepting Chicago. 
Edward G. Carter, Chicago, made a 
fitting reply to the mayor’s welcome, and 
took occasion to call attention to the 
tendency to impose upon cemeteries ad- 
ditional public memorial days by frater- 
nal organizations who have shown a 
disposition to observe separate days for 
such ceremonies. Mr. Carter said : 
“The .sentiment of Decoration Day is that 
of patriotic expression and Christian un- 
seifishness; it is a day for all the people, 
and the cemetery gates are universally open 
to all who seek admittance, and we cheer- 
fully seek to meet this public demand. But 
of recent years some of those important 
and influential organizations which have ac- 
complished so much in the way of good and 
charity and fraternalism, have shown a dis- 
position to keep separate and distinct me- 
morial days for their own use. Now, so far 
as this contemplates a public use and occu- 
pation of the cemeteries, this demand is de- 
cidedly unfair and, I think, has never been 
well considered by the men who have ad- 
vocated it and promoted it. The ground- 
work of the objection to the demand is 
found in the imposition which it entails 
upon our private lot owners; and while 
these lot owners have been willing to sacri- 
fice their individual feelings to the na- 
tional character of Decoration Bay, May 30, 
they can hardly be expected to yield the 
personal privacy of their lots to the de- 
mands of lesser interests. The idea of large 
public gatherings in a cemetery, with un- 
limited attendance, and the attraction of 
music and oratory, at a number of differ- 
ent times, is one a cemetery superintendent 
cannot think of with favor or even tolera- 
tion. It is not intended here, Mr. Mayor, to 
enter into a thorough discussion of this 
subject, but rather to place ourselves on rec- 
ord as entering a protest against the multi- 
plying of public celebrations in our ceme- 
teries, and to do this in such a manner as 
to put upon inquiry and search the con- 
sciences of these gentlemen who have sought 
to encourage it.” 
President Diering read his annual ad- 
dress, which -was in part as follows : 
President Diering’s Address: 
Since the organization of this association. 
22 years ago, the greatest stride in the de- 
velopment of the cemetery has been the 
universal adoption of the landscape lawn 
plan. This we know is the beauty phase of 
the cemetery of today; it has established 
simplicity, naturalness and beauty. By our 
visitations we see these effects everywhere, 
suggestions appeal to us, we are inspired 
with new thoughts and ideas for the ad- 
vancement of landscape work. 
The commercial interests of each and ev- 
ery city will bear me out in stating that 
system is a most important factor in every 
line of business. It applies with equal force 
to the members of this association. Sys- 
tem in the office, system in the grounds, 
system with the employee, and system ev- 
erywhere. Records have been reproduced 
on new lines by the card system and im- 
proved devices. Records are simplified, im- 
proved, expense of maintaining same greatly 
reduced, with corresponding saving of time. 
System in the grounds; organization, meth- 
od, and order. System among the employ- 
ees, particularly -with those who have the 
actual care of the interments, their manner 
and attire should be appropriate to their 
task. Many cemeteries provide a uniform 
which makes a good impression upon the lot 
owners. A thorough sj^stem -of discipline, 
exacting courtesy and tender sympathy in 
their dealings with the grief stricken. "Wliat 
becomes commonplace with the cemetery 
employee is a matter of deep concern to 
the bereaved lot owner, who is entitled to. 
and should always receive, respectful treat- 
ment without regard to their station in life. 
The perpetual care provision is another 
of the great achievements of advancement 
for the welfare and future preservation. 
This subject has a wide diversion of opin- 
ion regarding the establishment of ade- 
quate rates for its maintenance.. Most 
generally the statutes provide additional 
means for the receiving of moneys by will 
or otherwise, as bequests or endowments* 
