PARK AND CEMETERY. 
70 
by untiring effort, unquestioned in- 
tegrity and continuous progress and 
popular support. 
The whole movement is personi- 
fied in John M. Olin, president of the 
Association since its inception. Con- 
servative in his views, yet construct- 
ively aggressive by nature, and with 
a high sense of public duty, he gath- 
ers support from all sections and 
leads each year to greater triumphs. 
It is worthy of note and a commen- 
tary on our municipal form of gov- 
ernment that the principal and vir- 
tually the only opposition to be met 
with in the entire hisory of his grand 
work springs from the City Council. 
But gradually — it becomes more evi- 
dent each year — that opposition is 
fading away, for be it borne in mind 
park projects are fostered by intel- 
ligence and agitation and education 
will ultimately remove all opposition 
to the conduct of a wise park pro- 
gram. Even the arch politicians hesi- 
tate in their attempts to make politi- 
cal capital out of the embarrassments 
incident to constructive and aggress- 
ive progress. 
The extent and significance of the 
movement are in many respects re- 
markable. Subscriptions are entirely 
voluntary and range from one dollar 
to fifty — the major portion being for 
$5.00. In 1908 there were 393 of this 
denomination. In the past seven 
years the contributions have totaled 
over $180,000. 
This report explains contemplated 
new work, extensions proposed and 
various projects of local importance. 
Playgrounds are being further 
equipped each year; one of the lower 
lakes is to be made navigable, thus 
connecting it and the series of those 
nearby with the Rock River and thus 
with the Mississippi. 
A new State House constructed of 
white Vermont granite is in course 
of erection. Its site is a 14-acre tract, 
the highest elevation between the 
lakes bordering the city on the north 
and south. From its center radiate 
in transverse directions four streets, 
each 132 ft. wide. One improvement 
under consideration is the elimination 
of business and residential buildings 
two blocks wide and several blocks 
long, extending from Capitol Park to 
Lake Monona. Upon this site is to 
be estabished a broad walk — tree- 
lined and flanked with public build- 
ings. It is an extensive scheme and 
the trend of the idea it expresses is 
in the right direction. The remark- 
able fact is that so meritorious a 
project should be originated by an 
association of this sort. It is prob- 
able that this work alone will involve 
a million or more dollars, yet in 
some communities it has been known 
that prominent citizens have dis- 
dained to help in improvement work 
UNIVERSITY DRIVE, MADISON. WIS. 
on the pretext of its being amateur- 
ish, women’s work or based on en- 
thusiasm rather than merit. 
Numerous excellent features are 
discussed, among them the wisdom 
and advantage of municipalities con- 
trolling street tree planting; the ad- 
vantage of a regular and sufficient 
tax levy and a comprehensive city 
plan of Madison. 
Space forbids further comment— 
we hope to review this last and great- 
est undertaking later. Meanwhile we 
would urge the very general reading 
of this report..as an excellent incent- 
ive and catechism of public park im- 
provement work. Were any of our 
largest citiep to exert itself in pro- 
portion to its capacity as Madison 
has done, it would promptly assume 
a position of enviable international 
prominence. 
The record of accomplishment in 
Madison is an inspiring example of 
what energy and public spirit, intelli- 
gently directed, can do for the build- 
ing of a city park system. 
The work done and in progress in 
that city is one that quickens the 
pride of every good American citi- 
zen; it emphasizes what our cities 
can do if they but will, and even 
Madison has not shown to the limit 
what she can do and we hope will ac- 
complish. E. T. Mische. 
