The Washington times., 1911-03-09
COMMISSIONERS ASK
AID FOR PARK PLAN
District Officials Urge Board of Trade to Work With
Ctzens-United Interests Only
Can Succeed.

To proceed practically as though tn
Judson bill had been enacted into laN
st the last session of Congress-, and Sc
lcct from year to year the lands whlcl
are desired for park purposes, In keep
ing with tFe scheme of the McMlllai
Park Commission, is the idea OF the Dls
trict Commissioners as expressed In 4
message" from them to the people I"
the District, and conveyed by CommiS
sioner Judson through the medlum q
the Board of Trade
In bringing the message" as 1t Is
termed by Major JuGson, and whlch ht
read at the meeting of the Roarc ol
Trade at the New Willard last night
the Commissioner pointed out that there
will be sufficient funds in the current
revenues for 1913 TO Justify the invest
ment of from $500, 900 to 100000 in park
lands.
Question of Policy.
THE question:" said Major Judsonp
'is whether the business of obtaining
the park lands shall be presented by
the legally constituted authorities of
The District, following business prirci-
pies, adhering to the Mcmillan plan,
tllO supporter Dy d ulAlICN PdblA~ SpiAA-
ion, or whether the initiative in park
projects shall be surrendered to certain
land owners, who do not care whether
the systematic plan is followed or not.
whose naturcl desire is to obain the
largest price for their lands, but who
can, of course, obtain neighborhood
support for their projects, however,
they may lack merit from broad pub
lie standpoint.
with whatever care and wisdom the
commissioners may present a park Item
10 Congress nothin0 will result II COM
peting items are presented and urged
with arguments that arouse sectional
Jealousy and class hatred.
Congress Would Help.
IF there be no dissenting voice. and
only strongly organized and thoroughly
Informed public opinion can secure this,
Congress will not fail to proceed with
reasonable rapidity toward the compile
ton of the park plan. 1t seems probable
that, if the proper policy be followed. all
of the park lands for which Congress
expects the District TO pay one-half can
be obtained in a few years time, and
at a cost of some six or eight million
dollars. No one will have to wait long.
Each section can help all other sections.
as thus all lands, including It's own
share, can be most quickly acquired.
In Or0er 10 make up llle eSlllldltS 1OI
the next appropriation the Commission
ers urge that all propositions Tor the
sale of lands constituting part OF the
proposed park system and all recon-
mendations of associations be made
prior to July l, this year, and that the
parties offering lands for sale be pre-
pared to execute options on them pend
Ing and subject to the action OF Con-
gresS at its next session.
What Plan Is.
The principles which the Commission
ers say will govern them in making
their selection were stated by Major
Judson to be:
"Other things being equal in each
case: "a Those lands should be bought
in any one year which are offered cheap
est relative to the true or market value
of the same; (2) those lands should be
bought first which would otherwise be-
come unavailable by reason Of private
grading or building operations; 90 those
lands should be bought first which are
most rapidly increasing in Wy ~
lands that cannot be bought at Ian and
equitable prices should be condeHheu.
Major JudSOn's talk followed the |
pdoption of a resolution offered by
Col George Truesdell, expressing re
Hret at the defeat of the Judson Dill.
rea affirming the boards Endorsement OF |
n and urging its introduction and pas |
sage at the next session OF congress
Although Z. c. Lancaster, the Cltlzens
Association president, who cIalfned
credit for the defeat Of the measure
was present, no opposition to the reso,
lution developed, and it was passed |
without dissent. Later in the evening |
John Joy Edison introduced and mad !
adopted resolution Of confidence IN |
the District Commissioners and pledge |
Of support.
Struggle Over Street Cars.
An incipient struggle over the report |
of the committee on public transporta-
ton, relating to its recommendation |
that longitudinally seated cars be used |
on short hauls and during rush hours, |
was calmed when B. H. Warner rose to
announce the presence at the meeting
,f Senator Nathan B. Scott of West
Virginia. Senator Scott pointed OUT the
,ower which the Board of Trade might |
exercise If it presented a uniform front.
Ie pointed out the necessity for con-
iention hall, and agreed to take stock
n such a project. A resolution or ap-
orectation OF the services OF Sehator
scott, introduced by Mr. Warner, was
adopted.
After Senator Scott's talk, Gen. George
!. HarTies put the question OF referring
he transportation report back 10 the
committee, with instructions to amend
Is recommendation so as to favor cross
,eated cars entirely, and it was lost.
Amendment Also Lost.
An amendment offered by w. G. Hen
Ierson, expressing preference for all
ongitudinally seated cars, was also
nst Fred G. Coldren asked for fair
nd square vote on the question by the
Board of Trade, pointing out that, mas
much as the Capital Traction Company
&c nGlnO
irely pay-within, Cross-seated cars, the
committee and board would be ridicul-
,us in saying that such cars are not
PRACTICAL at all times.
O. P MetZerOtt and Dr. Tom Williams |
lso argued against the committee re-