The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-14
The People VIII Favor 1t.

We have no doubt that II the project for
the consolidation OF the communities about
this port were submitted TO the vote OF the
inhabitants, 1t would be carried by greatma-
Iority. The more It Is discussed, too, and
the more interested the people become on
the subject, the larger the majority would be.
There is no division OF sentiment which Is
represented by the divisions Of municipal
Jurisdiction. Those have been maintained
simply because they were once established
under conditions which justified them, but
which no longer exist. Separation OF au-
thority and administration Is kept up, al
though the communities have steadily In
creased in unity OF feeling. interest, and
purpose, until now consolidation in form
would merely typifg the consolidation in
essence which has already taken place.
Local pride becomes OF no account by the
side Of the pridein building up united COM
munity which 80 soon must be the greatesV
city OF the world. The glories OF the future
may not appeal to the imaginations OF few
petty ward politicians fearful lest their own
relative Importance might be decreased
In consequence, but they stir the vast
body Of the people to enthusiastic desire to
tear down the barriers to progress 30 mag
nifcent. Brooklyn and New York are one
in that sentiment; and II there DO any OBJ
stacles raised to prevent union, they will
not be interposed by the unwillingness OF
the citizens.
It has been alleged that nobody In Brook
lyn has any interest In the subject, and that
there is local jealousy Of New York which
would express itself In swift condemnation
of the scheme for consolidation whenever 1t
became a real issue But where are the indi-
cations OF any such feellng2 When Mr. STRAN-
AHAN advocated the scheme at the dinner
when he was honored as the first citizen OF
Brooklyn, his remarks were received with
applause; and from no quarter was there
strong dissent from them at the time. Mr..
Low has passed over from Brooklyn to take
the Presidency OF Columbia College, and his
neighbors are proud Of his elevation.
He still remains one Of them. though
he Is on this side Of the bridge. They do not
look upon the change as more than nero
transfer of his residence from one to another
part Of the common city. He Is not further
from them than If he had removed from
Brooklyn Heights to another extreme OF
Brooklyn Itself
The assumption that local vanity would |
BIAnu UHe way VI uulOu 10 JubCihoh
If Brooklyn were small community strug-
CLING to get the consideration to which 1t |
deemed itself entitled; but 1t has long since
outgrown all that, even II 1t ever suffered
from the weakness. It Is o great
and cosmopolitan community. and 1t
puts away childish things. 1t thinks
rather OF substantial advantages than
of the costly qualification of small vanities.
1t begins to understand that its destiny is
to be one Of the greatest centres Of popula-
ton in the world, nay the very greatest,
and larger ambitions occupy the thoughts
OF It's citizens. What Importance has the
mere preservation Of separate municipal
organization to them 1t Is merely means
to an end, and II the end can be better at
tanned by consolidation. they will favor the
change as sensible men.
The great task Of the Commission to in
quire into the subject OF union will not be
to create public opinion in its favor. That
exists already. 1t will be to formulate a
plan of consolidation which shall provide
for political unity without destroying the
of the different communities
In matters OF their own peculiar concern.