The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-12
Rumblings Of a Rebellion Against the
Rigid Rule, ''Keep or the Grass"
Objections to the Demands Of
the People.
ARE THEY VALID p

benefits breathe its fragrant air. its lovely
trees shrubs and flowers wander along pleasant
bypahs and shady lanes, delight in It's lakes and
picturesque places, stroll here, there every
where, and be seen, but must keep OF the grass"
SILENT cRuMBLISGs
For a long time our citizens have been silently re-
beilng against this injunction. No people in the world
have been moro observant OF order and decorum
In public place have the citizens of New York in
Central Park They have obeyed every whim fancy
and order OF the Park Commissioners with fidelity
unsurpassed elsewhere. They have quietly submitted
to any and every restriction imposed upon them in the
carrying out OF regulations which believed 10 be
for the common good. They have given than
abundant proof that they know how TO behave them
selves good citizens in place Of public recreation
And the reason for all this is doubt that and
all Of our citizens feel aprde IN the Park and look
II to be boon 10 the city, which should be cherished
Tor It's universal advantages 1t be said that New
York does appreciate its public garden, that the
attractions offered therein accepted with full
qualification by the people The thousands who daily
visit the Park during the spring and months
attest that
THE PARK is A BLESSING
TO young and old, rich and poor, ana that II is
yty. In a cosmopolitan city like this people apt
bear for long time grievance, which were the same
exist In large cities would scarcely be olcr-
lted whats evcrybody's business is nobody's bust
gentlemen having charge of pleasure ground like
ours would be both wary and fastidous watching
over their That the Park has been well cared
Tor all will admit, and 1t is that every embellsh
nent It received and every anxiety manifested in its
regard added the personal interest felt in by citi
/. SO young, full OF promise, rich in
seed which would grow into noble proportions that
people anxious TO let alone to let have full
chance to mature, to ENJOY much of 1T they
and,
they entered within its gates that to them as If
every sod was their own, every tree and flower and
every beauty unfoded to their eyes not any
IN the possession of ''boss. y They did grumblc
because they were made to feel they were restricted
and that the 'sboss'r was moving around with
rattan in his hand to enforce order. Everybody,
however, kept or the grass, and whatever
thought there was no srumbling openly.
THE OWNERS ARR.
But city garden Is OF fine, sturdy growth,
and does not by any need all that delicate
ment which tender plants demand when gaining their
nrst budding strength 1t Is longer doubtful
STRIPPING which rude blast might shake TO the roots;
it has been well nurtured, well developed and is well
grown and healthy. Those who watched 1t when
reaching its present proportions and who took
much pride IN II as year alter year. ii advanc-
ing and extending are not likely TO begin to
Its beauty wther the leaves or trees, destroy It's
flowers up the green grass which delights
eye and recalls 10 many thousands people stray
IN the long ago, which well nigh rubbed
OF the memory by the hard friction OF daily thought
md toll II the majority OF the people the
keepers the working classes the men, women and
children, who live IN larger or smaller tenement
houses and the numbcriess boardersp scattered all
who have been the real lovers OF the park, who
have rcjoiced and prded IT, who to-day are It's
best well.wishers and who. woud miss tho most.
These people the citizens OF this city, and
Central Park are in question Million naircs are very
well IN their way, and nobody the poor
lures; but when, in regard to the Park, 1t comes
IN "A "a n M
real earncstness, they fade and must fade
the carriage road or in the lane especially
set apart Tor gentlemen horseback OF sight.
There not on the part OF the masses Of this city the
slightest possible Ill Will toward the wealthy lew,
there the remotest intention their part attempt
deprive them of one whit of the enjoyment which
money procure. And il must be admitted that tho
the relative position existing between themselves
and the great body OF the people However, this DIM
Guilty about Central Park, winch has been long grad
naly coming point of issue, the carriage owners,
MS they may be called, have under spc-
reasons offered by the Park Commissioners in
their restrictions. and troubled themselves very iAc
about the subject, Tor the Commissioners were more
than likely to put sufficient cNciusivcness, and,
among themselves, be in the majority ovcrrule any
one Of their number who would be generous enough
aow the people an UNRESTRICTED freedom OF the pleas
grounds.
however cannot be OF long Duration the people
must have way, when that way the right
fancy garden may be very nice for private indi-
vidual who keeps flowers look at, and let any
body else them walk them, but there is
why citizen OF this city should be deprived OF
privilege OF throwing himself the under
widespreadng tree pleasant meadow in the Park
under u hot summer sun merely because Park Com
missioner or anybody else says that The grass would
be greener around that tree II he did do There
worth tho repeating OF Il why 300 little
children should not play and romp for an hour every
afternoon in tho select three In all the
PARK And If on any three acres, why put
many on every other three acres the entire
pastures What harm could they do Wear down tho
grass Make 1t yellow and paeg suppose they did.
This all that would happen at the very wors.:--Nr
and Mrs Cranky and family driving past their
riarc would grass IN the Park quite green
rs the grass in the Park might he, and the samc
uranky family would not have the delightful feeling OF
knowing that whereas they, being the owners OF a
carriage and never beng IN the Park except when
being around IN tho same and, therefore,
taking walking exercise in the Park, werc aud all
the children especially deprived OF the privilege OF
sS s' PARK A' did ' not possess something which
the working classes possesscd-to
VII Tue pr'rsss .ar rsn wnn 20 wax aux
wherever they pleased How much attention under
the circumstances shoad the Park Commission pay to
the protest of the Cranky iamlyY Arc the children OF
the OF the people TO be driven away merely to
please the carriage owners, or are the iatbcrs and
mothers TO be deprived o stroll upon the vclvcty
lawn the grass would not be enough for
the Cranky family when they come out Tor an airing in
OBJECTIONS TO FREEDOM
There may be two objections offered to the abolition
OF the present restriction Of walking on the 1t
may be said that large portion cilzcns and
heaviest taxpayefs believe that 1t would tend mar
the beauty 81 the Park by destroying verlure OF
the grass and may also that IL would ncccs-
state diminuton ~ the Park police. As TO the de-
OF gentleman yeStcr-
day remarked TO the reporter speaking OF this
ter, that zone would imagine we shoulu have
any more rain or that grass does not grow.n In re-.
gard to dminuon of the Park police the best
10 that hes the Tact that citizens
have never needed the interference Of the police
obcying the mandate, keep or the grass y
and VI the present nuuocr Of officers Is needed
the number would be needed without the
Injunction. A Park policeman skcd his opinion
TO the extent of the opposition OF the carriage
TO the proposed abolition OF the restriction.
and he replied :-'sPshaw. th.sc people don't
way the other. makes no difference 70 them; guess
the expense OF the thing the Commissioners look
att
ssThey might ohIcct,n II was rcjoincd against the
loss tho beautiful greenfn
.Tne color os the grass eh - responded the officer
sswny they look at nothing but each other, and find
nut who's out and who's not ont They only
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