The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-08
The Weakness of II Brooklyn Re-
former.


Mr.. RrPLEy RoPEs is tho most promi-
nent Independent politician in Brooklyn.
He is au Alderman, and is spoken OF rs
candidate for Mayor. Since he entered
public life few years ago. he has won
much respect as a reformer This respect
has been deserved. As n politician his
self-csteem il enormous and III his public
utterauces he Is oratoricaly predispOsed
To call upon the name Of Con oftencr than
is consistent with good taste; but WE he
liove that up TO the present iimc lac has
vigorously oombatod dishonest govern
mert ard corrupt official practice, and
with more than common success.
un Monday IA t. Mr.. ROPE> presented to
the brooklyn Board of Aldermen state
mont of the debt and asset Of the CITY.
Tho charactrrof this statement is not cred
liable to him. Assuming tnat it. figures
arc correct throughout-w hich is certainly
very doubtful So far a. the assets are con-
Ccrnei-the inference which most readers
viii draw FROM IT, ana which he evidently
intend. 10 have them draw. is false. That
inference is that Brooklyn M, fourteen
millions Of dollars moro ,hau enough to
pay It's debt with.
The entire debt Of BROOKLYN, including
most OF that OF Kings county is stated ut
over forty-two millions 70 meet this in
debtment, as appears from tho statement
OF Mr.. R0PEs, there are three glasses Of
assets The first class comprises cash in
the treasury; the amount of the sinking
fund taxes duo and unpaid; assessments
| uncollectCd, those made but not confirmed,
and those confirmed but uot levied adj
vauces on local improvements secured by
the lands benefited; the water rates in
arrcar aud the various amounts due the
city for default aud interest. The assets
in this class foot up Il totarof about TWEEN
ty-three millions Of dollars; aud il is as-
sumcd that the several amounts are wholly
collectablc, though We think it scarcely
reasonable to suppose that they will all
really be collected, in view Of the fact that
more than seven hundred thousand dol
lars is due ana unpaid in Brooklyn to-day
for taxes payable prior to lsil.
II these assets however, prove good,
and are applied TO the liquidation of the
city debt as far a. they 90, they will leave
remaining net indictment IN round Num-
bors Of nineteen millions; and the manner
in which Mr. ROPEs wipes this out Is extra
ordinary indeed AGAINST the net liability
of nineteen millions he Offsets the property
Of the city of Brooklyn, largely real estate,
| which constitutes his second elias. OF assets,
aud the property of Kings county, in
which the city owns an interest equivalent
to ninctoen-twcntioths, being he third class
of assets compromised IN the statement
Now, il il perfectly prCpostorous TO con-
sidcr this city and county property as
assets to De sct Oh against the public debt.
Prospect Park I. put down in the state
mont AGA valuation of S02H0o0. Does Mr..
RorEs or anybody else pretend that the
debt Of Brooklyn Is TO be paid to that ex-
tent, or 10 any extent ~ all, with Prospect
lalkH Tho park vas purchased planned
aud laid out to be- kept ~ pleasure
ground, not 10 be sold 10 ply an enormous
debt contracted IN corruption. Aud 80 of
tho waiter worSs; 0r0 IA J 10 DO pat up ~
auction and l,nGclfcd down to the highest
lddgr 20 realize the ten millions Of dol
iii' which Nh ROrr7 thml5 they are
"orthf For the purpose Of puying the
d'ht the Yailon. parks AID armoyic5 which
he rnumeiaioa, the City nan, the Court
'i"i e. nlmshuu'e, pcnitcntiary, and oven
| the h'0uklyn nOrguo and the Fltbush
| de@d hon>', would bnvoto 80 under Lhonuc-
tsln'ls A1inLncI. How cl4c could they