New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-22
PARK COMMISSIONER LANE RESOLTES.

In il letter which appears in another column
Commissioner Lane asks for a frank
opinion on certain resolutions which he pro-
poses to offer mt the next symposium of the
Park Board. In regard to Resolution l., it may
be said that there is no particular wisdom in
electng a man, however worthy, to a position
which he cannot take. 1t is understood that
Nix Olmsted has rented his house here, and for
another year at least will reside in Boston,
where he is engaged on important public and
private works. For the present, then, Mr..
Omsted is out of the question: and, this being
the fact, the further use of his name would be
"inSincere and obstructive"
Perhaps 10 member of any other administra
tive body, evolved. like the Park Board, out of
civilized society, ever tclt the necessity of re-
solving as Mr.. Lane does in Resolution IT,,
that an officer selected for specific duty
should he allowed to perform that duty. Or, to
state the matter definitely in another form, no
one but n Ncw-York Park Commissioner ever
dreamed that the distinctive work of Il gar
dcncr should be taken from the hands of a com
pctcnt and nOminally responsible man. selected
for this special service, and handed over to one
who was not appointed as IA gardener, whose
reports to his supcnors and explanations to the
public demonstrate that he is pcryCrscly ignO-
rant of the elementary principles of the gar
dcnel's art and whose destructive performances
are in ilagrant violation OF every recognized
teaching of science and canon Of taste. In the
earlier days of c0mmon-scnSc management the
Park was divided into six districts, each
under the charge Of division gardener, who
was allowed certain number of assistants, and
who was responsible for the trees shrubs and
plants OF his territory while the entire force
was exclusively under the control of the super
intending gardener, and nothing could be done
on ground covered by plantations of any kind
without his orders. Here, then, were skilled
men, doing the work to which they had been
trained, while direct chain of accountability
ran through the force from bottom to top, so
that everyone knew that he would receive the
credit or censure he deserved Into this we'll
ordered system bounds Mr. Aneurin Jones and
kicks over the entire fabric With the conniv-
ance OF his creators lie usurp3 all response
bility. He commands the subordinate gar
deners to file their saws for ii general amputa-
ton without any orders from Mr.. Fischer, their
chief, and indeed in direct opposition to his
authority and their own ideas. And lest these
men should be restrained by some rcmOn-
StrlnccS OF Il lingering pIOItSSlOidl COlScICHCc
from sweeping away the delicate and beautiful
growth which they know should be preserved
with tendcrcst care, Mr.. Jones adds to the force
ignorant aborers who know nothing OF what
they cut or why they CUT it, and who therefore
can swing an impartial and relentless axe
against the choicest shrubbery. Mr.. Lanes
second resolution ought to pass; but it is
shame that there should be any question about
so simple and elementary principle of admin
istration in a body of such high official standing
as the Park Board.
The purport, scope and intention of Resolu-
ton Ill. are not clear. Mr. Yaux was chosen
Landscape Architect by majority of the Park
Board. There is no question as to his cOmpe-
tency, ard rs one OF the csgncrs of the Park
he is acquainted with its special needs. He has
sgnificd to the Park Board that he would ac-
cept the position under certain conditions
which do not seem to be unreasonable. The
Commissioners are dawdlng over the matter
when they should actl They can accept Mr..
VauXs proposition OF reject q. If they reject
il they should have something better to oilerand
they must be able to prove 10 the people of the
city that 1t il better.
Mr. Lane is in error when he asserts that THE
TRIBUNE desires to get rid OF Mr.. Jones'"
Mr.. Jones knows nothing of gardening and still
less of landscape art, but lac has been cncour-
aged 10 usurD tho functions both of gardener