New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-10
GREATER .NEU- IORk

The cuestion of consolidation was submlftod
70 the people of Ncw-York. Brooklyn and other
rootronolitan districts "a a theoretical PROPOSE
tion The vote i'm the two cities was large
nearly 100000 New-York sanctioned the pro
nosal hy q majority of over 29Ooo and Brook
lvn by a much smaller one, i is supposed al
though il will be necessary To war Tor
the official count TO make il certain. Long
Island CITY. all the Queens County towns cX-
cent one Staten Island and one of the West
chester towns have also responded favorably
While there is nothing mandatory in the ACTON
Of the people at the polls. since they were mere
ly asked to express in n general way an opinion
respecting consolidation. the next Legislature
will be under obligations To consider ms pop
ular Judgment. and to act upon II win lnten-
gence and prudence.
So far as New York is concerned, the majority
is sufficiently emphatic to justify positive acton
II was in no sense partisan question. ana the
returns from the Assembly districts reveal dl-
visions of opinion in both parties respecting H.
The majority of the voters Of the city, lnnu
enced 10 a large degree by Chicago's menacng
rivalry in population and volume OF business
have decided in favor of Greater New-l ORR
In BROOKLYN there were the same divisions or
oplnion in both parties. and the opposition 10
consolidation was relatively stronger Takcn
by itself. an inconsidcrablc majority for II
would not perhaps be a decisive warrant Tor
immediate legislative action. Indeed the minor
itv. distributed as II is equally between Demo-
cratic and Republican wards. may be powerful
enough TO retard the development Of the pro-
iectcd union Of the cities. Still ii remains
minority. when all has been said
This powerful minority in Brooklyn. more
over can be explained 10y facts which are on the
surface and universally admitted. The prevail
ing motive which influenced the Brooklyn mi
nority was dread of Tammany misgovcrnmcnt
Indeed It is astonishing that consolidation
should have secured even a bare majority in
that quarter after the appalling revelations Of
the Iexow investigation. If The people Of
BROOKLYN could have been assured in advance
of the overthrow If the criminal administration
Of municipal affairs In this town. the majority
vote in favor of Greater New-York would have
been largely increased With Colonel Strong
the Mayor-clcct Of Ncw-York and with the Ger
tainty that the Legislature will arm him with
power 10 turn every branch Of the dcbauchel
municipal administration upside down and 10
institute the most radical reforms. the BROOKLYN
minority of Tuesday would vote very differently
'''
istratlon thoroughly reformed in the course Of
The next year. the movement in favor Of Great
cr New-York will inevitably make rapid prog
rcss in brooklyn.
The Better New-York must come first. That
is self-evidcnt The first duty Of the LcgiS
laturc is the cleansing and dsinfcclion Of I'll
the Tammany plague-spots and pcstholcs in the
government Of this town. Mayor Strong must
IL, 4. Ngrg' q
Mayor Schicrcn has accomplished in Brooklyn
The Introduction Of the same business methods
of administration will result in extraordinary
retrcnchment and in a material reduction Of the
tax rate and New-York will 'c transformed
from the worst-governod into the best governed
city in America With Better Ncw-York real
ity a. It will be during the next year with the
aid Of radical reform legislation, the opposition
10 Greater Ncw-York will be weakened and
paralyzed in Brooklyn and everywhere else
Reform legislation for Ncw-York ought 10
have the precedence. and il cannot be brought
about too quickly. The Legislature must de
vote all its energies 10 that work. and not he
diverted from II unnecessarily. But the Greater
New-York project IS not 10 be lost sight Of.
much less dropped altogether. The Municipal
Consolidation Commission Is now empowered
by the people to prepare a bill providing for
the union Of the cities and 10 submit II 10 the
Legislature. 1t will be a work Of extraordinary
magnitude and difficulty and II should be done
with painslaking care after exhaustive invcsti-
CATION. II is not project 10 he hastily ma
'ured and crowded through the Legislature.
The Commission ought 10 he warned from the
outset against prccpiatc haste IN framing Il
consolidation bill II cannot act with too great
deliberatiOn and caution.