, 1877-03-01
THE PARK COMMISSIONERS.

4&lG Kahn NV1IQA4H92ANEE%7s
Tho House of Representatives ut Spring
field has passed tho resolution to appoint
Joint Committee Of tho Legislature 10 inyoH-
tfgate the niIairs Of tho Commissioners Of Tho
Chicago parks. The objections To the pns-
aage Of the resolution were to the manner IN
which this investigation should take place.
The invoatlgntion itself is a proper ono. No
body OF men intrustcd with the power to In
cur public debt and make expenditures Of
public mouey should be exempt from inves-
tigation. That investigation should be conf
pnlsory, aud at least annual. There should
10 no escape from 1t, and tho Park laws
should be amended 10 as 10 require m anuuh
Investigation. Charges have been n,ede IN
the Legislature against the Commissioners,
aud 1t would bo ,uantfestly improper not to
hayo them Investigated promptly aud thor
oughly. We understand that, wliilo the Coua-
misslouers have protested against Ills accusa-
tious made, md tho seeming endorsement
thereof by The resolution, they llava ut no
timo objected TO Tic investigation itself.
II Ia 10 DO hoped, therefore, TINT
tho Senate will not oppose or do
fay the investigation, which at tho
shortest cal! hardly tako lcsa than two and
probably three months. II the investigation
Is to DO thorough and searching ons, md
thexe should be mono otlior, It should bo be-
gun without dclay In order to 10 completed
within any reasonable continuation Of tho
session Of tic Legislature. :
Tue people Of this city aro especially inter-
estcd in having the who'll park business
thoroughly antl completely ventilated. Tho
proceedings ot the Commissioners began
eight ycars ago, antl many OF tho transactions
were before tho fire, and othera before tho
panic. Tho accounts Of tina Commissioners
arc numerous, t]lcIr purchases, their re,
celpts, anl their expenditures, coteriug q
long period OF years, should ba oycrhauled,
scrutiuized, and maio public, Tho people
have right 10 this information; they have
10 bear the taxation and have to foot the
bills, It Is their money That ID expended, aud
they have the right To know whit III done
with 1t. It IL q matter Of right
md OF interest for the,i, to know
whether these park commissions have
beon honestly and wisely administered,
OF whether tbs public have been defraudetl
or their conaleuoo abused, corruptly OF
through, negligence or the incompotsncy ol
tlo Commissioners. It thero has been wrong
committed, lot the faets bo 1nads known, aud
tho responsibility placed where It belongs.
| Rud measures taken to remedy that wrong
anl prevent ita repetitloi, II tbs aftairs OF
the parks hare been honestly administered,
then the public havo ths right to know thai
fact.
The Park Law las always contained q pro.
vision that, upon tho application Of certain
nu1ahcr Of citizens, the Judges Of the courts
shall investigate my Charge nade. This i
not sufficient. The law should require tha,
the Court should annually appoint com
nit.es Of reputable anl responsible citizcns
to examine the accounts, Investigate tho pro
cccdiugs, AMI nlnke full report aud exhibit
OF tho condition Of tie business oi
tho parks, and OF, thus report tht
Courts should have power to re,noyt