New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-14
Mr. OINSTED IND THE SPEEDUIH

Park commissioners Clauscn and Happen
neglect 10 chance TO prov" that they nave
formed an alliance. offensive ana defensive ph'
especially offensive. 10 abuse their trust ana
affront the people. They are extremely z'al"ns
in this matter. and when they cannot make
an Immediate opportunity for overt acts ~ an
Injurious character they devote the sessions OF
the Board To exhibitions Of ill-trmp'r ana Ia"
breeding This appears. In fact. 10 DE th'ir
favorilc way of expressing contempt for p'ibii'
opinion. and IL they are able Incidentally 10
produce, Il striking contrast between ihrlr OWN
conduct aud that Of Mr. Rcll. their colleague
they think that they have passed prottable
afternoon. Such session was the one th'y
held ON Wednesday, In the course ~ when th'y
conirycl to show thar they were intent on vi"
hating the spirit If not the letter Of the law. ana
to raise Mr. Bill IN public estimation by con
nrminr the general belief that he understands
his duty and means 10 perform II. SO long as
MFR Bell remains steadily and consistently In
minority ~ one in the Board Of Park 'omnls
,Ioners the presumption will he that he Is
faithful and iniclligrn; public servant.
Tn. letter sent io the Park Board by Mr.
Er.d,.ri,l, Law Olmsted aud published yester-
day appears at IN opporinnc moment. II IL
testimony II the highest authority 10 the fact
ihn, the two Commissioners who direct the
operations ~ the department either have
radically false conception ~ their functions or
are wilfuy determined 10 subordinate the pub
lie welfare to The qualification ~ their own
selfish and vulgar whIms In such n commune
Gallon MIR Olmsicd could not properly do more
than leave them In this dilemma: bit ciiizcnS
who have perhaps been able To keep n closer
watch on them than he are warranted IN going
further and DECLARING that their course has
been shaped In about equal degrees 10y ignD-
rance and malice Mr. Olmsic who l. minute
Is familiar with he earlier history of Park adj
minlstrailun IN this city and To- whom The p"o-
pie ~ New York are UNNECESSARILY indebted.
cites from experience an example uf III" lam
,niahr consequences OF reversing the relations
between landscape architects and engineers,
and thcr.bv warns the community of the
irrrparah,. mischief which two stubborn blum
dcrors 81 the present day are resolved 10 ac'
cnupll,h IN the execution II the Speedway nm.
dcriahing la that ease public opinion rrs"ltcd
- soon ~ The facts were known, and great
efforts were made io recover ground that dur
"lng the absence 81 the landscape architects
had been lost. b;.i even so II WAS mpo>slbl"
To- repair the misfortune completely. and the
Central Park H. day Is ~ less value 10y some
million dollars than 1t otherwise would have
been while II has cost the taxpayers some
millions more than II would otherwise have
cost" Such Is The miserable experience 10
which Mcssrs. Clauscn and Happen have deter
mined 10 subiccl The people again. on ~ large
n scale ~ their opportunity will permit Mr..
Omsied does not choose To be employed sin
"ply 10 devise pretty trimmings 10 be- applied
40 the surface Of engineering constructions,
and To- his many and eminent services 10 this
civ In The past he now adds another by cluci-
dating the wrong which Is In process Of accom-
pllshmrnt and refusing Ia be- an instrument Of
the wrOngdOcrs.
nhappily. In In" ease Of Central Park
years ago. The mischief achieved by obstinate
folly In the matter Of the Speedway cannot BE-
repaired without some permanent loss. Hut IT
we Justly estimate the state of popular intclli-
gcnce and feeling on this subject. that enter
prise Of public improvement will yet be com
plctcd substantially In accordance with law and
proprcty and the officials who have convicted
themselves Of wanion and impudcnt abuse of
power will be- compelled 10 do pcnancc In one
way or another McssrS. Claliscn AMI Happen
when they are snccrng at public opinion. They
are never likely 10 he Of much use and in
tcrcsf to the community In any other capacity
as when they are put upon the witness stand
by IN investigating committee to give IN ac-
count Of their stewardship