PAKC AND CEMETERY. 
84 
varying iilrdifferent states. The recent law passed 
in Massachusetts at the instance of the Trustees of 
Public Reservations, and of which a copy is ap- 
pended to the report covers the question for that 
state, The report fully discusses this phase of the 
matter. The great difficulty to be met is that in 
which the owner of property gives his consent to 
the advertising, and from which generally a small 
income is derived. And to give expression to and 
develop public sentiment against such offensive dis- 
plays lies at the bottom of any improvement in the 
present condition of things. The report ably con- 
siders the many sides of this problem and is full of 
suggestive reasoning, and bears with strong em- 
phasis on the abominable features in connection 
with billboards about parks and parkways. In rela- 
tion to parks the report recommends: 
“That the American Park and Out-door Art Association in 
conjunction with some municipal organization such as the Art 
Association of Chicago, endeavor to secure the adoption by a 
Park Commission, acting under proper legislative authority, of 
carefully drawn regulations go . erning in a clearly reasonable 
and moderate manner the display of advertising signs upon 
property fronting on the parks and open spaces under its con- 
trol. The regulations and the form of the authority for passing 
them should be carefully examined by counsel before they are 
submitted for pas.sage .so that a clear and favorable test case 
might be presented under them to the courts, on the simple 
question whether the use of private property can under any cir- 
cumstances be lawfully limited .solely on account of the appear- 
ance presented to the public. That point once clearly estab- 
lished by the courts, the question of the precise limits of rea- 
sonable control can then be worked out not only as regards ad- 
vertisements but as regards many other matters vitally affecting 
the beauty of our dailj’ surroundings.” 
The report proceeds to give in considerable de- 
tail an account of the efforts of the “English Society 
for Checking the Abuses of Public Advertising’’ 
which has made considerable progress, though slow, 
and concludes with the following: 
“To enter into anj- more detailed discussion of methods 
would render this report altogether too burdensome and we will 
therefore conclude with the following general recommendations. 
“Through its secretary this association should undertake to 
enter into communication with other societies and with individ- 
uals interested in checking the abuses of public advertising; it 
should acquire and distribute to its members, to cognate socie- 
ties and to press, facts and arguments bearing upon the subject; 
and it should facilitate the co-operation of those interested in 
the amenities of outdoor life in this as in other directions. 
Notwithstanding the fact that it will be a serious burden to un- 
dertake this work, and notwithstanding the fact that the public 
spirit of the secretary is already imposed upon by the associa- 
tion we make our recommendation in this form, because we be- 
lieve it more businesslike, more likely to accomplish good re- 
sults, and less wasteful of energy that all of the correspondence 
concerning the closely connected subjects with which the asso- 
ciation has to deal should be done from one office and under one 
direction. This means that the association must provide the 
secretary with competent paid assistance to take as much of the 
burden from his hands as may be. Before passing a vote, there- 
fore, the association should deliberately consider the financial 
burden involved, for if it is w’orth while to take any organized 
action it must be done with .system, continuity and thorough- 
ness, qualities which are not to be attained without the expend- 
iture of valuable time and money. As aguideto the association 
in reaching a decision w’e may state that the expenses of the 
English societ}' during those years of which we have accounts, 
wdth a very small allowance for clerical a.s,sistance, averaged 
$558.68 per annum. (For details see appendix. ) 
“Whether the association in its present condition w’ould be 
justified in taking up such a burden without securing in advance 
• . . . e 
a larger financial support than it now has, is a question in th 
minds of your committee; but we are agreed that to take the 
subject up in a half-hearted and unsystematic manner would be 
to a great extent a waste of time and energy and we are inclined 
to believe that an active and systematic campaign against the 
abuses of public advertising would bring to the association suf- 
ficient financial support to meet the additional expense.” 
Mr. E. C.Van Leyen of Detroit described how the 
park authorities of that city had shut out a saloon 
and some obnoxious billboards by planting a screen, 
which in due course had most effectually fulfilled 
its purpose. 
Mrs. Herman). Hall, vice-president of the Chi- 
cago Art Association strongly advised co-operation 
with the women’s clubs of the country, and referred 
to the questions before the Milwaukee convention 
now in session. 
Mr. E. J. Parker moved the adoption of the re- 
port and that it be printed as a separate pamphlet 
and used for missionary purposes. He spoke of his 
experiences in Quincy, 111., and said there can be 
no expression of municipal art where bill boards ex- 
ist. Citizens have the right of enjoying the land- 
scape free from objectionable advertising signs. 
The report drew forth a number of suggestions 
on the subject. 
The morning session closed with the reading of 
a paper on “Trees in Landscape,” by Mr. W. M. R. 
French, director of the Art Institute. This paper 
which is given in another column was illustrated by 
free hand sketches in colored crayons, executed in 
the presence of the audience, a method of illustrat- 
ing his subject, in which Mr. French has long been 
a master. 
The afternoon was taken up by a drive through 
the West Side park system provided by the West 
Park Commissioners. The trip was somewhat 
marred by a thunder shower, but was nevertheless 
very enjoyable, the west park system afifording 
somewhat of a change in park work from that of 
the south side. Mr. J. W. Suddard, president of 
the board of commissioners accompanied the party. 
An enjoyable lunch added to the pleasant excursion. 
The banquet tendered to the association by the 
local committee took place in the evening in the 
banqueting hall of the Auditorium hotel, a room 
whose costly artistic decorations and beautiful pro- 
portions very appropriately accorded and in part 
illustrated the mission of the association. The af- 
fair was recherche’ in every way, marked by sim- 
plicity and elegance throughout the appointments 
and details. Nothing whatever occurred to mar 
the occasion in the slightest degree, except per- 
haps to the chairman of the committee of arrange- 
ments, when he found that his after dinner speakers 
had imbibed too freely of the prevalent Chicago 
air and had struck. However, a number of im- 
promptu speeches were made, tho-e participating 
