New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-01-08
UtYOR LOU7S MESSAGE.

There are some points In Mayor Lows Mes
sage which interest the people of NewYOrk
almost as deeply as those of Brooklyn. New
Workers who ever have occasion to cross the
Bridge will read with regret that Mr.. Low Is OPP
posed TO lower tolls until it is certain that re-
duction will not lessen the receipts. There Will
be a feeling of sympathy on this side OF the
East River when ii is seen that Brooklyn, like
her sister city, is forced to take steps to enlarge
her water supply; but after all it is New York
far more than the metropolis of Long Island
which stands in need of compassion. Over the
river they want a hundred millions daily, or at
least they want to have that amount available
within Il few years. A reasonable desire, and
the outlay required to meet it will not be stag
gering. The Mayor talks Of an expenditure of
only 81, 800, 900, and in the present condition
of Brooklyn's municipal affairs the city will be
pretty sure to get fair dollars worth for every
dollar expended. Here our taxpayers are
groaning in spirit at the $2O,OOO,OOO which
Hubert 0. Thompson and his cOnfederates are
schcming to pile on our mountain OF debt
That scheme may be defeated; but the future
looks dark, when we see the waste of public
money in our Board of Estimate and AppOr-
tionment, and note the apparent determination
of our Democratic rulers to make our burdens
as heavy as possible.
The sewers of Brooklyn need extensive i'm
provements and Mayor Low says that
81, 500, 900 or So, 100000 should be spent on
them. Would the good people at the other
end of the Bridge like to have us lend them
Mr. Thompson and his partners, Richard A.
Cunningham and Maurice b. Flynn, for time
The three have had an extensive experience
about sewers, and from careful observation we
are led to believe that no place can be found
too foul for them, either in the big political
sewer whose mouth is at the City Hall or with
in the arches ander the streets. If there is a
good fat contract or a pOrtly 1899 order any
where in the vicinity they will not fail to get
hold of it through any excess of squcamishness.
Would Brooklyn like to borrow thcmq There
are few persons in New-YOrk who could better
be spared.
Mr.. Low discusses the school question with
good deal of care and ability, and what he says
has direct application to this city as well as to
Brooklyn. Both communities have felt the
evils of OvercrOwdcd schools. The way i'll
which New-YOrll is attempting to overcome the
difficulty is to give an eXtravagant Board of
Education. whose administrative and SUPER
Yisory staff is Unfortunately expensive for the
amount of work accomplished all the money it
asks for. In Brooklyn they move more csa-
tiously. Mr.. Low says that S2S0,000 is about
as large an amount as the Board of Education
can wisely handle for building purposes in any
one year. With what scOrn would New-York
School Commissioner regard such apitiful sum-
Here the Board of Estimate and APP
po1tionment has granted 100000 for
new buildings and $250,000 for sites.
Mr.. Low believes in making room in the low
grades and in spending less money at the top I'M
til there are primary schools enough. There
are thousands of thoughtful men and women in
New-YOrk and Brooklyn who will agree with
him. But we suppose the NewYork Board will
go on raising salaries at the central Office.
Some suggestions in the message as to excise
matters are worthy of careful consideration.
Mr. Low favors high licenses. If he found the
sources of his political strength in the grOg-
shops, as 80 many of the chief magistrates Of
this city have done, he might not venture to
take this position. The Earthly Paradise may
not be discovered on Columbia Heights, nor
even in ClintOn-ave., and Long Island politi-
clans may not be of breed much superior to
that which is found elsewhere. But when we
look across the East River and see a municipal
government moving in well-ordered ways to
well-considered results, the public good the
genuine goal Of its efforts, and then turn and
gaze upon the wild scramble for spoils which
disgraces the departments in the first city in
America, we see that New-York may take les
Sons from Brooklyn with advantage. Brooklyn
owes all she has gained to the diligent cultiva-
ton of honest, earnest public sentiment The
need for just that sort of work In New-York is
SIMPLY incalculable.