New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-02
ppEpIRTNG FOR CONSOLIDATION

N,vor Srhior.u takes 4 most sensible view "
,ic votr in New York and Brooklyn in favor
If consolidation. He sees that the union oi the
Two cities is inevitable. and that IL i onIy
question Of time when the separate ADMINS
frativr systems viii have to be- brought together
AMI be- made ~ work in harmony. consequently
In. i turning his attention To getting Ms house
I'm order and arranging that the regular condlcl
Of affairs shall not be- intcrf"rcd with bv the
change II j. in the Mayors power 10 be an
ol,.trucronisf He cannot prevent consolidation.
porhaps not even delay II. hut he cam II II"
wishes. carry on the government of Brooklyn
i'm WAY 10 cause friction and increase the
difiicultins which must of necessity be cncoun-
tnr.d i'm bringing under one head departments
that have been not only separate but conducted
on different plans He * wise enough 10 "Xcr-
else his power In exactly the opposite direction.
H.. has announced that such bills as may he
introduced into the Legislature this winter on
behalf ~ the Brooklyn authorities will b" made
I, conform H. nearly ~ possible to the laws
which they believe viii be determined upon for
th. consolidated civ Commissioner White at
present has under consideration a plan for the
division II the Department Of City Works into
three dcparimcnis each with a separate com
missioner m lis head These will more nearly
correspond with the present NcwYork depart
mentS and bureaus and in case Of consolIda
ton one authority in each line Of work can with
ont difficulty assume command. The present
CITY Works Department of Brooklyn is some
what ovcrgrown. and performs functions which
mr.. here. distributed Commissioner White with
all his ability and diligence finds II impossible
io cover al the ground properly and guard the
interests II the city NJ every point ON purely
local considerations The work may be- special
izcd Ia advantage. The highest wisdom dictates
specialization In conformity 10 Ncwlork
prccelcnis.
The Mayor also believes that Brooklyn should
take q lively interest in actual consolidation
plans and make sure that il rights are not over
looked IN any legislation. lie proposes com
mission of nine members. three 10 be appointed
by the Governor 10 represent the suburban see
tlons 81 the proposed Greater Ncwiork. and
the others to- be appointed three each by the
Mayors ~ New York and brooklyn. He asks
that after they have prepared charter for the
government of The whole territory II be- sub
milcd to vote Of the people before going into
operation The present Commission may be
thought amply competent TO deal with the sub
jcci and there is no reason 10 suppose that n
scheme drafted 10y II would not be- all that the
| people would wish. but Mayor Schcren'S slig-
| gcsiion Is certainly worthy Of consideration.
| II IS evidently made with II view 10 facilitate
and not 10 rcard the consolidation movement.
! II may possibly be thought by the present Com
mission a good thing To turn the final work over
to another body There would be- special
advantage in such Il course. Ii would assure
/ 10 each section Of the new city Il voice In the
| formation Of the charter. and the fact that 1t
had its own particular representatives, engaged
on the work would give assurance that no local
interest would be sacrificed 1t is almost as cs
scntal 10 consolidation that the people Of the
different municipalities have confidence that
they are being justly treated rs that they be-
actually SO treated.