p^vRK AND ceme;te:r.y 
383 
ParKs and Politics. 
A paper read before the Boston Convention of the American Park and Outdoor Art Association. 
The rapidly growing sentiment of creating parks for the 
congested population of this country needs support and it 
may be truly said that its greatest achievements are still to 
come and therefore belong to the future. The era of park 
making appears upon the historical pages of a city when 
culture and refinement have penetrated the narrow spheres 
of commercialism, when the rude make-up of a city has 
been mastered, and accumulated wealth demands pleasure and 
comfort. Therefore we find that the introduction of parks 
occurs at an epoch often injurious to the artistic layout of a 
great city, and which has to be overcome at an immense cost. 
It is perhaps not always true that the motives creating 
public pleasure grounds are of that true and benevolent char- 
acter uppermost in the hearts of those desirous for the wel- 
fare of their less fortunate fellowmen, but on the contrary 
come from a selfish desire to build parks and parkways as an 
incentive to increasing the value of their own land holdings. 
Whatever may be the original causes, however, the creation 
of parks by any city must be commended as the first step of 
municipal art out of doors, and a prime necessity for improv- 
ing the health and morality of those that have to pass their 
lives in these congested spots. 
Parks come into existence either through a general public 
demand inspired by men of higher intelligence, broad-minded, 
and with a love for Nature beautiful, or through the benev- 
olence of some generous, loyal, and public spirited citizen. 
Nature and art are to go hand in hand crowned with the 
highest attainments possible by human conception, thereby 
adding to the prestige and good name of any city, and making 
life in these piles of brick and mortar worth living. Park 
making is a measure, by which, together with other great 
municipal undertakings, the intelligence of its citizens are 
judged. 
In cities where the creation of parks has been largely due 
to public legislation, forethought and a careful perusal of 
the laws framed to convey, maintain and develop acquired 
lands into beautiful parks, have often been neglected and 
thus have permitted the first loop-hole for political misrule. 
On the character and intelligence of the committee in 
charge depends the proper selection of lands best suitable, 
either on account of existing natural beauty, or convenience, 
and, in reference to population, justly located for park pur- 
poses, and the plans adopted for their improvement. 
Thus it is readily seen that the very first and most im- 
portant matter in park affairs is the selection of broad-minded, 
public-spirited men for the office of park trustees; men 
whose standing in the community is high, who take pleasure 
in putting in their spare hours inspecting the parks, who 
consider the office one of honor exclusively, and altogether 
are interested in art out-of-doors. With such men at the 
head of any park system, success is inevitable and is an 
honor to the city that has been so fortunate. Such men do 
not seek public office, but must be called upon to serve. But 
how is it possible to procure good men for park boards, when 
through inefficient laws, the acute eccentricities or question- 
able ambition of politicians, a governor or mayor may chop 
off their official heads without the least warning before the 
expiration of their term, whether their duties have been 
honestly and conscientiously discharged or not? How un- 
American such proceedings are, and yet are nevertheless true ; 
and I may ask what value can a park trustee render when 
not permitted to remain long enough in office to become 
familiar with his duties, and the same question may be asked 
concerning park employees. On tjie other hand, it is quite 
different with the political park trustee. He is apparent 
everywhere, pushing his claims for recognition to the very 
doors of the executive home, pointing to his victories on 
the political battlefield and for which he demands office only 
to use it for the benefit of his agents. They in return for 
good services rendered, further the political ambition and 
selfish interest of their employer and political boss, to the 
continual detriment of the 'parks and its supporters. Wher- 
ever managements of this character are dominant, their influ- 
ence is plainly visible. 
Statuary of questionable art is accepted, or through an 
overzealous attempt to procure images of every one’s idol, 
the quiet sylvan scenery of the park has been turned into 
an ancestral showplace, suggestive of certain of our ceme- 
teries. Buildings of ugly and ill-fitting architecture obtrude 
upon pastoral meadows or are placed in spots inappropriate 
for any building. Innovations of all kinds including mid- 
ways, where the “real thing’’ kneels down and loads or un- 
loads its merry crew of sight-seers. Visionary tiger-hunts 
are indulged in from the safe back of a servicable elephant, 
whose sudden appearance to the timid and unaware park 
visitor may cause hysterical convulsions. Ice carnivals and 
dances — all for the good of the party. The advertisements 
of some merchant who is termed a “good fellow” are thrown 
upon the canvas at public concerts, running riot with the 
sacred melodies of Wagner. Floral designs of the most 
ridiculous and fantastic kinds find themselves perfectly at 
home in this great aggregation of show fixtures. The prod- 
ucts of the conservatories are placed at the disposal of poli- 
tical friends, and free boating and fishing permits are scat- 
tered broadcast as bait for the unscrupulous voter. These 
are undeniable facts, misleading the uneducated as to what 
a park should be — a place of natural scenery and sylvan 
beauty brought to his very door-steps, and in which his 
weary body and overworked nerves can find the needed rest 
and comfort. 
Shrewdness is one of the great traits of the professional 
politician ; so we may often see that to avoid sharp criticism, 
the appointive power selects one man of “standing” to serve 
as a target on the park board; but he no sooner finds out 
his real mission than his resignation is placed at the dis- 
posal of the powers that be. Or, perhaps a superintendent 
of some qualification is selected to carry the misdeeds of the 
trustees on his shoulders. Has he any manhood at all, his 
services will be of short duration. Whether the park super- 
intendent is a gardener of the political variety or a profes- 
sional politician, whose sole duty is drawing his salary, is 
immaterial — the outcome is ultimately the same and perhaps 
in favor of the latter, whose attempt at disfiguring the park 
with inappropriate improvements is usually assured. 
That the paying for a plan for proposed park lands, or its 
execution by a consulting landscape architect, ends the pro- 
fessional service, is folly. Who dare say that after the child 
is born, it is able to take care of itself? Upon its early 
education and association depends largely its usefulness in 
life. So it is with the caretaking of our parks. The develop- 
ment of such vegetation as forms the leading part in the 
construction of parks, is one of years, and its nursing needs 
the best of care obtainable. Continual destruction to the park 
scenery either from natural causes or through such agencies 
as polluted atmosphere, sewerage, insects, etc., characteristic 
of city environments needs the watchfulness of the practical 
and artistic eye, if health and beauty shall dominate, and 
the scenery be kept intact, or otherwise these agencies when 
permitted to proceed unrestrained, will soon have changed 
the once pretty landscape into ruin and desolation, and the 
