The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-21
Tho Outrage in Bronx Park.

On Monday there went upon the records
Of the Park Board q document which. con-
sidering the circumstances that caused 1t,
was among the most notable and surpris-
ing in the city's history. 1t was a resolu-
ton of the Fine Arts Federation, or the ar
tistic professions of New York consolidated
into a single organization for the sake of
more effective influence upon the public
art Of the metropolis, and directed imme-
diately at the Park Commission, but ac-
tually at the gentlemen who, as the Botan-
ical Society, are engaged in establishing q
botanical garden in Bronx Park.
The Park Commissioners, who, by careful
provision Of the law, represent the public
interest in the park intended for the garden,
surrendered their functions to these private
citizens and converted the duty of "approv-
ing" or judging the plans the latter fur
nished into a mere formality, repudiatinR
theirown experts, employed in amoment Of
accidental wisdom to advise them, in favor
of the inferior experts employed by the So.
cicty. We are unfortunate In having
a Park Commission that can neither ap.
preciate the artistic value Of the recon-.
mendations of the Sargent committee,
nor understand the nature of their own
relation as public officers to the private
citizens empowered to submit q plan to
them for their approval. ALL three Com.
missioners, who voted as the Society would
have them vote, evidently acquired their
qualifications for Park Commissionership
from the least fruitful side of their con-
dition In life Mr.. MCMILLAN, the PresI-
dent, has as much of park lore as can be
obtained from the basis Of his profession, q
mason's wall Mr.. CRUGER, from a heated
political primary, and Mr.. ELY, from the
sombre office of a dealer in real estate.
1t was an extraordinary thing for the Fine
Arts Federation to feel itself called upon to
utter this protest against a gross violation
Of artistic propriety at the hands of q mum.
Der of prominent citizens:
Whereas. The artists Of Now York look forw ard
with great interest TO the e. Establishment of the con.
templated botanical gardens; and
Whereas, They believe that. as these gardens arc
to he placed In one of the public parks, they nre tusti.
Ned in demanding that tn, shall lie so arranged and
disposed that they shall add to. and not detract from.
the artistic effect OF the surrounding land ,cape; and
Whereas. Tho Department OF Public Parks has re-
tanned experts. whose standing and ability are recog-
nized not only by tile members OF their respective
e"h - nav ~ iAiA ~ GA 1IIluC
and r'port upon tho artistic excellence of the general
scheme prepared for the construction of the proposed
botanical gardens in Bronx Park; and
Whereas. These experts have unanimously con.
demned the proposed scheme and have recommended
changes and alterations; and
Whereas. II Is conceded that those In control of
important municipal projects should cooperate with
and act upon the advice of skilled experts. in order
that the work proposed may reach u successful issue;
therefore. be 1t
Resolved. That tho Council Of the Fine Arts Fed.
Grafton deeply regret and strongly deprecate the
action OF the Park Board in rejecting tho recommen.
dations of Its commission Of experts. to whom It had
referred the plan formulated by the Board Of Man.
agement of the Botanical Gardens, and that they re-
spectfully urge the said Park Board to reconsider its
resolution approving OF the general scheme referred
TO. and to give to the report OF its experts the consid-
Grafton to which It is entitled"
Despite the money subscribed literally
by the Botanical Society, the genuine
public spirit of the affair has come, not
from the Society, but from the Fine Arts
Federation. The artists of New York
have not hesitated to express their opin-
ions because of the influences that have
overawed the Park Commissioners and the
Mayor; and these influences are very great.
They have been sufficient, and we speak
49, 1880 sA'a VI hHS Sbti Va Duth lllCiLl
bers of the Botanical Society as nave been
Indifferent to the part that it is playing in
this affair, to obtain the two hundred and
fifty most beautiful acres of the city's park
lane without any examination in the
city's behalf as to tDhat portion of its ter
ritory could be most advantageously taken
from its normal public use and made
into a botanical garden. They have been
strong enough again to induce the Park
Board to reject the advice of the highest
critics in the country in the matter of this
gardens design, and to submit to the wish
of private gentlemen who employed ex-
perts such as scarcely a public officer would
dare to select in the city's name for so
notable a work.
There Is a radical difference between the
action OF a body like the Botanical So
ciety and a board of public officers. The
private body's Executive Committee is
apt to be those who have subscribed the
most money, or who are most anxious to do
the work but when 1t comes to criticism
OF their plans, they are all friends. A
searching examination or a severe criti-
cism on the part of the other menu
bers Is not to be expected. There
Is none of the checks of antagonistic par
tisanship or of the sense of responsibility
to the public generally present in a public
commission. The plan goes through In I'M
resisting friendliness. and for that very
reason largely the law kept 1t for the Park
Board to "approve" or t~opronounce finally
upon the plans of the Botanical Garden.
Many OF the members of the Botanical
society are rich and cultivate art In some