The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-30
Tho Resignation OF Park Commits
stOner Wales.

sionsr Wales.
In resigning his position as one Of the
Commissioners of Public Parks, Mr.. Salem Il.
Wales makes the following remarks in regard
to the management of that department TIN
my opinion the Department of Parks could be
managed with more efficiency if Comptroller
Green would not insist upon the retention or
appointment Of his personal friends-not
always the bsst-in and to various offices OF
the department and could some of his in
efficient friends be dismissed without provok-
ing his hostility it would result in some good
to the service. 1t would also rebound to the
credit OF this industrious official if, while
paying strict attention to his own duties,
which are arduous enough to tax all his time
and capacity, he would not only cease to in
termeddle with tho affairs of other municipal
departments, and stop the practice Of covertly
undermining the Official character and ca
pacity of those who are, equally with him
self, responsible to public judgment. If this
disquieting element could be Withdrawn from
the Department of Parks, and if Commission
ers could be permitted to exercise On inde-
pendent discretion in the selection Of their
auxiliaries, then I could most heartily con-
graduate my successor upon the pleasure he
would find in his relations with commission
whose President knows how to unite eff
cheney with courtesy and regard for the rights
and feelings of others"
Mr.. Green's unauthorized and suspicious
interference with departments of the city gov
orf with ha have
Germ has long been notorious, and has mainly
conduced to the present unsatisfactory condi-
ton of our municipal affairs. Instead of
standing in an attitude OF entire ndepen-
dence and impartiality as between the several
departments, simply guarding the interests of
the taxpayers and protecting the treasury
against fraud, he has attempted to bring
every other city Office under subsection to his
own, and where his usurpation of authority
has been resisted he has visited his anger
upon the offending official at the expense of
the public interest. The Park Department
has suffered from his friendship, as the Public
Works has suffered from his enmity. Mr..
Wales speaks from his experience as Presi-
dent OF the Park Commission when he says
that personal friends of the Comptroller are
retained in the public service. although unfit
for the positions they occupy, and that any
attempt to get rid of them is certain to pro-
woke the bitter hostility of the Finance De-
partment The people well know what this
hostility means. Appropriations withheld,
works embarrassed and INSTRUCTED, bills un-
paid and forced into litigation, as well as
covert attacks on the official capacity and in
tegrity Of the offending parties. are the inev-
liable penalties to be paid by any municipal
department that refuses TO subject itself to the
arbitrary dictation and selfish interests of the
Comptroller.
1t is about time that this should cease The
public parks are the pride of the city, and
they should not be sacrificed to personal
greed or ambition. What there has been to
condemn in their recent management can
readily be traced to the malign influence Of
which Mr. Wales complains. Money has been
squandered on architectural designs and ex-
periments, on unnecessary engineering, on
uncalled-for and out-of-the-way roads, tunnels
and bridges, and on other absurdities in
vented for the sole purpose OF furnishing
profit and employment to MI. Green's '.per-
sonal friends" All that is now required to
make the Central Park what it ought to be-a
place of popular resort and enjoyment-is a
combined drive, bride path and promenade
where all New York could flock to see and be
seen, as in Rotten Row in Hyde Park, and
the promenade and drive in the Bots de
Boulogne. This improvement can be secured
by few weeks labor, without any large
expenditures for landscape architects, super
vising architects, assistant architects, consult
ing architects, engineers and the like. The
Mayors appointment OF Commissioner to fill
the present vacancy will decide whether we
are to have reform and independence in the
management Of the public parks, or whether
the evils of which Mr. Wales complains are to
continue. Colonel Stebbins, as President of
the department, may be relied upon to act in
the interests of the city and not of any indi-
viduals; but he must be strengthened by an
associate in the Commission who will bring
character, capacity and independence to the
discharge OF his duties. The city government
is already sufficiently embarrassed, and the
Mayor will incur heavy responsibility if he
should fail to exercise judgment and indie
pendence in his selection of Mr. Wales
successor.
ARREST OF CoUNTERFE1TERs. Thirteen coun-
terfeiters and dealers in counterfeit money
were arrested at Cincinnati yesterday.