The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-07
The Point in tho Botanic Garden Case.

The Point in tho Botanic Garden Case.
Weekly, resents the treatment to be visited
upon Bronx Park through tho agency Of
the Botanical Garden Society, and the case
is worth stating again ~ it is found in
that journal. under the title of An assault
upon Bronx Park:
"a few days ago q committee. oonksting Of ex-
perts. and Of which Prof. caAnrrs 8. sAAaExr was
Chairman, made an adverse report 30 the Park
Commissioners OF New York o. to certain plans
for proposed butldinxs IN Bronx Park for the use
Of the Botanical Society. Tho buildings wore
necessary. and no question was raised O. TO the
architectural merits Of the designs. II was proposed.
however. to place the museum and the directors
residence. and even q power-house, in tho most
picturesque parts of the park. Every ono who
knows Bronx Park must have been astonished that
such Intelligent and pubiiospiIttsd men as the direo-
tors OF the Botanical Garden should have dreamed OF
placing building amid native beauties whose preser-
walton Is obviously tho nrst duty of the landscape
gardener. and will be attn moro astonished by their
persistent opposition 10 tho report and by the decision
OF tho Park Commissioners Against their own APP
pointed experts-Mr. Stills. the only Commissioner
whose opinion on this subject Is entitled to respect.
voting to sustain the report"
While this is sound. our contemporary
misses the central point of the affair
when it concludes that the proceeding Is q
symptom of Q certain national indiffer-
ence to tho rights Of beauty" Not the gen-
eral question of national indifference to
beauty, but the abuse of q public park by
Park Commissioners ignorant of their du-
| ties, and by certain private citizens with
sufficient influence to accomplish n d Of
their own, is properly the immediate object
for condemnation.
The plans presented by tho Society showed
that the public interest In the land
for which they have received the honor
of preparing a botanical garden plan had
not been consulted ut all The natural
beauty of 1t was treated with contempt,
and som peculiarly charming open space,
always so precious, was used up recklessly
for buildings when tho necessities could
have been served In other ways. The
intrusion Of buildings in such spots must be
attributed either to the human vanity which
yearns to make its own mark prominent,
or to blunt ignorance or heedlessness of any
other purpose than the making of . certain
sort Of garden. Tho Ian was dealt with
as II 1t was a desert with nothing OF
beauty to preserve.
IA oA~sOA thC COSiOUy "oo oCfNCo W
an architect who consulted its p~rejudicei
rather than tho ethics of his profession
AT least, he did not consult the interests Of
the city. 1t must be said in his behalf
though, that he was not employed by tn.
city or for the city.
The Society had . perfect right to pro
pare It's plans according to it's lights. But
when Prof. SARGENT and his colleagues
the highest critics obtainable, and repre-
senting. not the Botanical Society. but
the municipal department which ad
ministers the city's parks, said that tn,
plans were faulty, the Society stopped
out Of the honorable place assigned t,
1t by the law, and brought suoh pressur,
to bear upon the Park Commission ers ant
upon the Mayor that it's plans were hur
ried through to adoption. They have beel
modified to u certain extent In accordanc,
with the views of the Sargent COMMITTEES
Nevertheless, tho plans Of the Botanica
Garden, for which the city must expect Il
give millions of money In addition to 1t
two hundred and fifty acres of beautiful
territory, AVE been adopted on tho author
ity OF NO expert acting In the cityAs behalf.
al Is the method which a~coomplishe
every injury wrought in the Park Depart
ment. 1t is the method Of vandalism
Some personal interest asks for something
In the parks. The ofhcial critic, the land
scape architect or his representative, say
"No." And then politics, with votes In IL
pocket or plausibility ON Its tongue. exert