New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01
P4LLAS ON PALLAS

Park Commissioner Palas has just issued a
new set of park rules which are meant to be sub
United for approval to the Board of Aldermen.
The rules are extended and minute. All the
things which citizen may not do are set down
IN detail We are far from quarrelling with the
spirit of any of these rules, so far as we have
| been able to examine them, though some OF
them are awkward i'll expression. They con-
tain. however some interesting provisions set
ting up an ideal of art which Mr.. Pallas him
self might well take to heart. One of the rules
declares it unlawful to post any BILL placard.
notice or other paper upon any structure with
in such public parks, squares or places unless
previously licensed" Another forbids any citi-
zen owning land fronting upon or adjacent to
6ny public park, parkway. square place" to
erect a fence "in or about" it or rent advertis-
ing space upon it without submitting plan Of
the work and securing permit for it,
This clearly shows that Mr.. Pallas recognizes
the incongruity Of an advertising sign in or
overlooking park. Under this rule an adver-
Using sign could not be erected on the roof of
a Broadway building opposite the City Hall
Park without the Commissioners license. Yet
while Mr.. Pallas is properly forbidding the prop
erty owner to rent his own walls and his roof
for advertising purposes, and regulating the use
Of private property for the sake of art he is de-
llberately erecting park property itself glar-
Ing signs which are an offence to good taste
and setting a bad example to the public. The
appearance Of the city would be vastly improved
If the fences Of vacant lots fronting the parks
were neatly painted instead Of being covered
with pictorial horrors. Yet the Park Commits
sioner himself takes a we'll painted, modest
fence around public park, fronting a great
horoughfare opposite some of the finest houses
IN the city, and covers it with great, haring APP
peals to purchase soap and sauce and what not!
This is the way Mr.. Pallas lives up to his own
preaching
We do not chiefly blame Mr.. PallaG however
He is in the hands OF "unscrupulous provi-
dence," and that providence is the municipal
administration. The Mayor could in five min
utes secure reversal Of policy concerning the
library fence The spirit Of the new rules per
haps represents the feelings Of Mr.. Pallas bet
ter than the defaced library fence, and he might
possibly be glad to restore the decency of ap-
pearance secured after so much trouble by Mr.
Wilcox. But a Tammany district leader had to
be provided for. No commlssionership was avail
able for him. He demanded the fence 1t was
given to him at an absurdly low rate If it was
TO be used for advertising purposes at all. That
was his graft" When public protest was first
made, Tammany tried to throw the responsible
ity on Pallas. But Pallas would not be called
down" while the signs stayed up Instead ne
threatened 10 place the responsibility where It
belonged. Since then everybody has been silent.
The Mayor has seemed to be interested in other
things. Doubtless he has hoped the outrage
would blow over; but It will not blow over"
That fence is a standing Indictment OF the adj
ministrauon; for the city, renting that fence at
market rates, could get vastly more for It than
the Tammany leader pays.