In this connection I desire to offer 
the following suggestions: When a 
dealer is sure or has good reason to be- 
lieve that a design he has in his col- 
lection or a monument he has in stock, 
would be objectionable to the manage- 
ment of the cemetery in which a pros- 
pective purchaser has a lot, he would do 
well not to present it; and should such 
a monument attract attention, he should 
frankly say it would not be accepted. 
If he has a reasonable doubt about the 
acceptance of a monument which is 
being favorably considered by a cus- 
tomer, he should counsel delay until he 
had submitted the design to the super- 
intendent of the cemetery and learned 
his decision. He should never make a 
contract until all questions at issue are 
settled. When any monument or me- 
morial is to be erected in any cemetery 
having regulations governing the same, 
it is always advisable for the dealer or 
the person about to make the purchase 
to submit the design to the authorized 
representative of the cemetery, usually 
the superintendent, for approval before 
the purchase is arranged and the con- 
tract made. I much prefer to confer 
with the lot owner if necessary before 
the dealer has done more than merely 
offer the suggestion that as all designs 
have to be approved by the superin- 
tendent of the cemetery it would be 
well to submit the one selected before a 
final choice is decided upon and a con- 
tract made. If in this the dealer is care- 
ful he would avoid complications and 
perhaps some personal responsibility and 
often facilitate the consummation of 
business. In some cemeteries, including 
Forest Home, this is now obligatory so 
as to properly supervise monumental 
work and avoid complications and dis- 
putes. The dealer who sells a monu- 
ment which is objectionable to the man- 
agement of the cemetery and is perhaps 
rejected, lays himself open to discredit, 
perhaps the censure of his client. To 
plead ignorance of rules or say that he 
thought it would be all right will not 
always excuse him. The natural infer- 
ence is that he must have been fully 
conversant with the rules of the ceme- 
tery but was apparently principally in- 
terested in making a sale and hoped by 
making no allusion to these rules to 
secure the order and make a contract 
which might be considered binding by 
his client, who would be expected to ar- 
range with the cemetery authorities 
himself for the acceptance of the monu- 
ment bought or a satisfactory substi- 
tute. My experience has demonstrated 
that such methods have cost dealers the 
loss of orders which they thought they 
had secured. On the other hand, if the 
dealer is candid with his client, and 
among other things informs him of the 
regulations of the cemetery and suggests 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
submitting the design or designs pri- 
marily for consideration and approval, 
he will in all probability inspire confi- 
dence and respect, which every sales- 
man knows is of first importance to- 
wards securing a favorable consideration 
of any proposition he has to present. I 
have been told by certain dealers that 
the reason why they do not in some in- 
stances inform prospective purchasers 
of monuments of our rules and regula- 
tions before closing a deal is the fear 
that the customer may be incredulous, 
attribute the statement to some ulterior 
motive and go elsewhere to the advan- 
tage of a competitor. While it is un- 
doubtedly true that occasional orders 
which were apparently almost secured 
have been lost because the customer 
concluded to look at the designs and 
get the prices of other dealers before 
deciding, I am persuaded it was the 
more attractive design and perhaps the 
lower price of the competitor which 
won, factors always to be reckoned with 
in competition. Designs being equally 
acceptable and prices approximately the 
same, I believe in most instances a cus- 
tomer will decide in favor of the dealer 
who has been candid and straightfor- 
ward. I wish to say before closing this 
part of the subject that in every instance 
so far as I know where I have felt ob- 
liged to reject a design submitted, the 
lot owner has been able to select an- 
other monument more satisfactory to 
himself, equally and even more profitable 
as well as much more creditable in 
many cases to the dealer. 
I do not wish in my discussion of 
this subject to direct attention to Forest 
Home Cemetery as an example to be 
emulated but rather as a warning, for I 
am painfully aware that in places, par- 
ticularly in some of the older sections, 
monuments and tombstones of almost 
every description are obtrusive to a 
degree that is decidedly unfortunate 
and objectionable. There are, however, 
throughout the cemetery many really 
good monuments, but unfortunately 
some of them have been conspicuously 
misplaced in relation to their environ- 
ment. Even the lot owners, many of 
whom were responsible in large meas- 
ure for this condition, deplore it and re- 
gret that the Trustees had not sooner 
adopted more stringent regulations. It 
is not my intention to apologize for any 
laxity on the part of the management 
of the cemetery in by-gone days when, 
in common with the practice in ceme- 
teries in general, lot owners were per- 
mitted to exercise their own taste and 
judgment very liberally in the selection 
of monuments on the supposition that 
being granted the privilege of erecting 
a monument and index stones, the pur- 
chaser and owner of a lot had a special 
right to a memorial of his own choos- 
237 
ing. But realizing the duty they owed 
to lot owners and to their successors, 
the trustees of the cemetery resolved 
many years ago to introduce measures 
to promote improvement in the land- 
scape, the monumental structures, and 
other features in the cemetery, that it 
might be more in harmony with modern 
ideas. The regulations first adopted 
were lenient and somewhat educational 
for the purpose of gradually instilling 
into the minds of lot owners and others 
interested a due appreciation of higher 
ideals. Later more stringent rules were 
introduced and are now consistently en- 
forced when necessary for the promo- 
tion of the general good of- the ceme- 
tery and the welfare of the majority of 
its lot owners. 
In conclusion I wish to say that lot 
owners in our modern cemeteries are in 
a sense members of a community in 
which individual interest should be sub- 
servient to mutual welfare. All are 
therefore expected to conform to the 
adopted policy, and cheerfully co-oper- 
ate in all matters appertaining to the 
plan and management of the cemetery. 
In general there is ready acquiescence 
but the monument is often a source of 
contention which might easily be avoided 
if each prospective purchaser of a monu- 
ment or other memorial would carefully 
consider the situation and environment 
of his lot and the style of structure best 
adapted to meet all requirements. If he 
lacks ability to make a proper selection 
he should wisely avail himself of the as- 
sistance of someone capable of advising 
him and defer to his opinion. In this 
the monument dealer may lend valuable 
assistance, which should be unbiased, 
with due consideration of all interests 
involved. His clients naturally command 
his first attention and it should be his 
greatest endeavor to serve them faith- 
fully and to their entire satisfaction. 
But I am persuaded by observation and 
experience that he can best serve them 
and contribute to their lasting pleasure 
by inducing them when necessary to 
select a memorial different perhaps 
from that of their original fancy, but 
possessing real and artistic merit adapted 
in all respects to its surroundings with 
due regard to landscape effect as well 
as relation to other structures in the 
vicinity, and differing essentially from 
these or perhaps all other similar struc- 
tures in the same cemetery, that personal 
interest and selection may be evinced and 
individuality expressed, which not only 
contributes to the general attractiveness 
of the cemetery but avoids possible of- 
fence to anyone, affords the owner the 
supreme pleasure of originality and re- 
dounds to the credit of the designer and 
monument dealer. To this end I can 
confidently assure you of the hearty co- 
operation of all cemetery officials. 
