New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-19

marked ability, and so far there is reason fOr
hi. onnointmcnt But the public was not
aware that he had made any record in matters
connected with art, and no has shown HIM
self willing TO intrIst the plan and details OF
park maintenance to ignorant pretcnders'
Plainly, the Commissioners should be selected
from the list of citizens of recognized public
spirit--men who have unsclGshlY given their
services to liberal and educational movements;
men who are naturally chosen as trustees OF
the museums of natural history and OF art,
as directors of the free circulating library,
the Improved Dwellings, Association, or en-
terpriSPs of kindred character. IL would not
be difficult to name dozen Boards OF
a dozen members each, and all Of such stand
ING, business ability and culture that there
would be no question az to the proper main
tenance of the peoples pleasure ground under
their control. Men of this type have respect
for training, and they would no more think
of managing park without the advice OF
competent landscape artist than they would
of constructing q railroad without an engineer
or Il public building without an architect 1t
should be added that Mr. Olmsted's suggestion
of the x-o6icio appointment as Commissioner
landscape painting (not landscape gardening
as some critics seem to understand) is not al
together novelty When there was danger
that the more subtitle and delicate landscape
effects of the Park would be destroyed by the
vulgar intrusion of alleged works Of art it was
ordered that no statue should he set up III the
Park until its merits had been passed upon
by the Presidents of the Academy of Design,
the Museum of Art and the Institute of ATchi-
tccts and the order stands to-day. Ii il worth
remembering too, that this order was made
when the distinguished landscape painter.
Frederic Z. Church, was in the Board, and
that it was recommended by committee OF
which he was chairman. 1t is altogether rea-
sOnable and appropriate that one or more
| landscape painters " to whom the whole
some charm of simple, natural scenery
has been a matter Of busness-liko study"
should be named by their fcllow-artists for the
management of the city's Park, which is a work
of landscape art essentially if it is anything. In
other cities, taste for rural adornment does not
disqualify gentleman for the Park Board One
| member of the efficient Boston Commission is
president of the Horticultural Society, and is
| known as q prizc-winner at their exhibitions.
There are gentlemen III NtW7lorh WHO 'dho
delight in tastefully planted country places OF
their own and the counsel of a representative
of this class might be worth as much i'll the
Board on question of park maintenance as
the advice of a ward politician.
| No doubt there are difficulties in the way OF
making trustworthy Commission, by whom
socver it is appointed, and whether it consists
of one or many. 1t is the duty of the law
makers to define the trust and lay down all
proper directions and legal restrictions as to
the choice 1t is the duty of the people and
the press to demand the selection of
suitable men, and to give an intel
ligent explanation OF what they mean
by suitable men. But the first business of the
Legislature is to wipe out the Commission
which has so long abused the city's patience.
1t seems absurd that Legislature should be
bound to demOsh a Board of its own creation
because such unfit persons have been placed
on it by the trustees i'll whom the response
| bilitv of selection was vested. But this body
has proved itself fagrantly obstructive and de-
structive, and there is only one power which
can sweep 1t away. There should be no toll
Grafton in civilized community for an admin
istrative Board which has not even the busl-
ness faculty to organize itself.