The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-18
WOMEN AND THE PARKS
MEMORIAL TREE ASSOCIATION HAS
PRONOUNCED VIEWS.
Wants Representation ON the New
Park BOA rd-Conference ON the
Question Held Yesterday.

At the Commercial Club assembly room
yesterday afternoon there was a discussion
over proposed new park law between the
park committee of the club and a commit
tee from the Ladies' Memorial Tree Associ-
alton, consisting of Mrs. Wiley, Mrs Kern
and Miss McClung. The ladies had been in
vited to be present to offer such suggestions
as the memorial association might have to
present 1t developed that the ladies wish
to have representation on the new park
board. There was a long discussion of the
subject. The idea was new to most of the
members of the committee from the Com
mercial Club, and no definite conclusion was
reached with regard to allowing the women
TO be represented. This question will come
up later, before the Commercial Club COM
mlttee has submitted plans for a new law
to the club Tor its approval or rejection. It
was represented by the women that the
Memorial Tree Association is an offspring
of the Commercial Club, organized for the
specific purpose of identifying the city. The
ladies were inclined to insist that there are
In indianapolis women of such capabilities
as to be of assistance to 81 park board in
rounding system of parks. While the idea
was novel to the Commercial Club COM
mittee, the members were not disposed to
dismiss it lightly. The women were not ex-
travagant, and asserted that they realized
that any new law must meet with the APP
proval of the citizens of Indianapolis before
IL can nope to be passed The proposition
10 give the women representation did not
come to any formal stage, and the entire
SUBJECT was left open. The only thing the
women seemed anxious about was that the
ASSOCIATION they represented should be given
some formal recognition in the verbiage of
the. law that will allow them to be repre-
scented in the formation of the parks, either
in an advisory or some more forcible ca
pacity. The sentiment seemed to be on their
part that they ought to be given more than
a nominal representation, and should be
clothed with some forcible power when it
comes to improving and identifying the
park lands that have been bought. 1t was
settled from their talk that they will not
be satisfied with law that simply confers
discretionary power with regard to recog-
nizing them. They want to have it speci-
fically specified in the law that they are to
be heard insthe park councils.
This portion of the discussion took up a
large part of the afternoon Messrs. George
Merritt, Thomas L. Sullivan, Rev. M. l..
Haines and j. p. Dunn, four of the five
members of the committee, discussed other
features of proposed new law. A. F.
Potts, the other member of the committee
was not able to be present In the informal
discussion of a new law it was practically
agreed by the committee that there should
be four members of the board, one to be
appointed for one year, one for two years,
one for three and the fourth for four years,
their successors to be appointed for terms
Whether or not they should be appointed
by the mayor, and whether that official
should have the power Of removing them at
pleasure, were questions that came in for
some discussion. 1t was the unanimous
opinion that the appointing power should
vest in the mayor, as in other branches of
the city government Some of the members
doubted whether it would be wise to allow
the mayor to remove the members of the
board at will, either with written causes
offered or not. Such held that 1t would be
better to make impeachment proceedings
necessary, as it might not be wise to place
power in the hands of the chief executive
of the city that would practically allow him
to dictate the actions of the board. All
agreed that the board should be nonpar-
tisan, and the law drafted will provide that
from any one political party on the board al
a time. The committee will meet again in
a few days, as it is realized that some def
mite conclusion must be reached in short
time, the meeting Of the Legislature being
near at hand. The women of the Memorial
Tree Association will sake up the matter
at the meeting a week from next Tuesday
If a special meeting is not called mean
while to formulate some suggestions to lay
before the club committee