New-York tribune., 1883-06-03
POLITICAL DANGERS APPREHENDED

POLITICAL DANGERS APPREHENDED
Ex-MAYOR GRACE's OPINIONS UNION INJU-
RIoUs FROM EVERY POINT OF VIEW.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: o. fail to see wherein union Of New
York with Brooklyn would be Of advantage to either
city. For all practical purposes. except that of
government. the cities are already as much one as
they can ever be made. and so far as concerns the
question of municipal government, that has not vet
been mastered for either New-York or Brooklyn
alone OF all our experiments in government those
In municipal government have been the
least successful. The problem to grow imore,
rather than less difficult. / believe this to be due
to the great masses with which we have to deal in
our cities-populations so large that the individual
is in lost sight of and is himself insensi-
Bile to his political duties and obligations Until
we have shown our ability to frame charter for
either OF both cities alone which would show better
practical results, think We should commit great
error in trying to govern them together
e.. 1t Is the universal complaint in
this country and abroad that municipalities are
growing too large for good government. and the
thing which is now being generally sought is not
how to enlarge them still more, but how 10 coun-
teract aud nullify the evils resulting from the
y.
measure. tried the experiment OF governing the
two cities together, and found it failure. refer
10 the period when the Metropolitan District
for police aud other purposes included New
York Brooklyn and part of Westchester. We are
already too large, and I tmnk both Nev-York be-
low the Harlem, and the Twenty-third and Twenty
fourth wards. would all have been much better of
If the latter had not been annexed TO the city. With
no greater capacity for municipal government than
both cities during the past twenty years shown
themselves to possess, l regret 10 say that /
should regard the attempt to govern them together
as fraught with danger. We would find that the
professional politicians. applying themselves TO
their calling day and night, would effect startling
and strong combinations while the power of COM
hination among the citizens In opposition would be
decreased immensely.
81 The upion of the cities would probably in
crease the burden of taxation. 1t would have a
tendency to produce an era of large expenditure.
The cost of the civil service would be greater in
stead Of less, for that is the universal
experience. The service would be less
economical and efficient because the
officials would. even less than now, feel their re-
sDonsibility to the entire community, and would
strive to benefit localities at the expense of the
whole city. Politics is not like business; the
proportion of workers to the amount Of work done
Increases instead OF decreases.
H. So far as policing the united cities is
cerned, that has already been tried and found
to be failure. The Police Departments of both
cities already large that when they have fallen
into the hands of politicians or inoompetents good
citizens have stopped to inquire If they were not
quite as much curse as blessing. Imagine what an
engneof political power and tyranny single police
department In the hands of bold and unscrupu
lane 1oIxr &c hoxa
could be made AS for the protection of life and
property. and believe that that is best done, as
everything else Is where the masters eye is most
continually on bis men, think that each city now
gets better service than it would under joint
government. The latter would be too large TO
admit OF true and thorough govern
tnent from the centre, and would result in
throwing all responsibility and power back upon
the captains Of precincts, which is open to many
grave objections.
l5) Such business prosperity as either OF both Of
our cities possess, they have in spite of and not be-
cause Of their form Of government How long
tercs of experiments in local government. and 1t
would necessarily be long, could increase our
commercial prosperity, 1 fail to perceive
Business changes land the community be-
comes more or less prosperous as the
conditions Of trade or commerce change, and the
things which produce these conditions are more
deep seated than a change of charters. CONNER
clally The cities are already one and for reasons
which have nothing to do with the mere question of
the extent of territory falling within single char
Ter government.
49, Concerning the administration of justice, as
understand it, there could be little change effected
IN the matter of courts of record because Of const
tufional reasons. They could all be brought
together in single place, perhaps, but
tns i think would not, in the long |
fun' be as satisfactory as at present. The minor |
courts. district and police of local courts
ana must remain 80, whether or no. and the only |
cnange under union would probably be q change |
q name and territorial jurisdiction not of functions
or the manner Of their performance
NJ II there were to be union do not see
pow that fact would lead to q change of |
residence by citizens from one part of /
sne city to another. Residence depends
upon taste, rents, nearness to the business
eentre and facilities for travel think rents are
sneaper In Brooklyn now than they would be after
union, ut any rate union would have no ten
pency TO reduce them. change in the form of
s0vernmeut would not shift business centrss nor
you'd ~ snect facilities for travel for these latter
sspend upon physical conditions and there is moth
which could be done by way Of increasing these
>@'A'ass II the cities were one which |