Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-04-06


If consolidation is Effected as it seems
almost certain to he, New York will rank
second among the cities of the world in
the matter of population, London being
first with population Of 3, COB, 600. Leav-
ing out London and New York, the cities
having population of over million, ac-
cordng to the latest figures obtainable,
are: Paris, 2.447, 957; Canton (cstimated),
1000, 600; Berlin, /, $40, pa; Toxic, 1, 3S9,-
2If; Vienna, 1868, 548; Philadelphia,
l, 142, 653; Chicago l, 400, 900; St Peters
burg /, Dob $40. The figures for Chicago
are estimated from II school census taken
in 1892
The benefits expected from consolida-
ton are many and various, and some of
them are sufficiently obvious to need no
mention The economical advantage of
substituting one governing body for the
10 or moro that are now required TO carry
on the political administration of the va
rious cities counties, towns and villages
involved ought to be self evident. But il
Is by no means certain that this advantage
will be secured in full measure. Politi-
clans out of jobs are fruitful OF cxpedcnts,
and those displaced in the sacred name of
economy may be trusted to lose Us little by
the change as possible.
1t Is quite probable, however, that the
! political rings that now reign supreme in
the different municipalities will find their
power broken, and though new ones will in
all likelihood be formed to loot the richer
treasury and dictate the destnics of the
consolidated millions an interregnum, be
it ever so short, is something for which
the people will easily learn to be dcvoutly
thankful. 1t is not the least among the
hopeful signs of the new order of things
that the various bosses" and their hcnch
men are among its btterest opponents.
Another good sign is that the members
of the consolidation commission mention
ed above are not persons of grace with the
ringsters, though all of them are well
| known, reputable ana representative citi
zens. The president of the commission is
Andrew II. Green of New York, the reform
comptroller who took charge of the city
treasury after the downfall of the Tweed
ring Mr., Green has been preaching con
solidation since 1858, and the greater New
York will owe him a large debt of honor
in the good time coming.
James :. II. Stranahan, whom Brook
| Ign proudly halls as her first citizen and to
| whom she has erected statue in her beau
tiful Prospect park of which he is the vir-
tual founder, is vice president of the com
mission. Mr. Stranahan also has been an
advocate of consolidation for many years
having seen its advantages foreshadowed
30 years ago when he was a member of
the old metropolitan police board, whose
jurisdiction included New York and
Brooklyn. He is now SO years of age, but
hale and vigorous and confident of living
20 see consolidation an accomplished fact
In the hands Of men like these the i'm
portant prcliminaries of consolidation will
be carefully looked after, and it may be
that their influence will not cease when the
preliminary stages have been passed. If
the vote of the people shall declare in fla
vOr of consolidation, Mr. Green has char
ter ready for introduction i'm the legisla-
turo which provides for the government of
the new municipality on lines different
from those which have hitherto prevailed
in American cities, and If the politicians
are not too strong for him and his associ-
ates we may see the happy experiment
tried of governing a great city according
to the theories of man whose special
study it has been to safeguard the point
most liable TO attack-the treasury.