New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-26


,,usBt.RG DE REPEATED
sCIIIEREN PREFERRED TO
GILRoY AND HIS LIKE.
8, accordance with the provisions Of act
Ia by the last Legislature. the people of the
P.,,x Included In the proposed Greater New
w" VII, vote at the lection in November on the
...,,on Of union with the metropolis. The dis
~. % he annexed under the scheme OK conso;dg-
nrepared by the Consolidation Commission ap-
",,sa two or three years ago embraces Brooklyn
~ the rest Of Kings County. Long Island City
~ mart OF Queens County, the whole of Rich
IL county Staten Is,and), and a generous slice
:" Wes,ches,er County in Addition 10 the part
W., into New-York abQrt a quarter OF a century
sbs far. in Brooklyn a, east there does not APP
-, he any profound interest taken In the
F.,o,. but II the peop.e are TO vote intel.igently
4. In A;t'e more than two months. II would
..r 70 be time for the earnest discussion OF it.
r.o.llatlon bills-or. rather, measures preliminary
y. .or.oidation-were brought before at least two
,..,,ures prior TO the last one, but the Demo-
,,c politicians OF Brooklyn were able TO prevent
IL enactment. They were not willing even TO
-, = vote 10 be taken on the question. The
i..n,sed vote however. appears TO be the most
',,na, method Of furnishing basis for intelligent
,, bo,h by the Consolidation Commission and
by the Legislature.
There are a small. number Of men in Brooklyn out
.r., in favor of surrendering the identity of that
',v hut until the vote is taken in November there
-, h. no means Of determining how large a
.,roving they have. Many men whose duties
king them before the pubic when spoken TO on the
,h,ect OF consolidation frankly confess that they
,v. NOT made up their minds. and say that they
.,s looking for Information that VIII enable them
;, DO So II consolidation means lower taxes. they
Ami, ,ha, they would be In favor of 1t, bu; on this
lin, there IS grave doubt. Moreover, they fear
,s., Rrooklyn as the smaller part of the united
c,,v mght not receive Its fair share of public I'M
,,ovements and the Ike. Then. again. II Is said
that Brooklyn has demonstrated its ability 70 pro-
vide good government for Itself through the election
=, Mayor Schieren and a reform administration.
. ,rs New-York is still under the domination Of
T,mmany Hal: and until Tammany is put down
,.ss men are inclined TO fight shy of the rule Of the
Wgwam.
Mr. KENNEDY OUTSPOKEN.
Among the Brookiyntes who have fully made up
.ber minds on the question of consolidation IS
rJ,ah r. Kennedy. ex-Park Commissioner who has
,ong made careful study of civic conditions In
both Brooklyn and New-York. Mr.. Kennedy lives
I, handsome house on Ninth-ave.. facing Prospect
Park He was one OF the pioneers in that part OF
what is considered by many the finest residence
d;s,rlct ~ BROOKLYN One OF his close neighbors is
ps-r Commissioner Frank Squer. Since they built
their houses a number Of other handsome dwell
ings have been erected along Ninth-ave. When
Mr. Kennedy was called on and asked for his views
on consolidation, he expressed his Willingness 10
sneak al some length certain phases OF the sub
iec those 10 which he has given special attention.
He said:
TAX abou. annexation has so far been mostly on
one side and by an active propaganda. Before l
vote propose 10 try TO find on; what Brooklyn Is
10 gain. and wha; l. as a resident Of Brooklyn, am
10 gain by the CELEBRATION Of our city government
and our going under the government OF New ork
Undoubtedly We are oppressivey taxed. but
how are TO be relieved by annexation? a GER
tain sum Of money must be expended In brooklyn
for police fire department. streets schools. parks
and other purposes. That money must be raised
each year. AT present II is raised by taxing
Brooklyn property
Some OF my friends think that after an
nexaton our property will be taxed less Wei.
then New-York property Will have TO be taxed Just
that much more. The idea Is absurd. 1t is never
referred 10 seriously in New-York. They are just
as desrous OF keeping their tax rate down over
there as we are over here. They are waking peop'e
10 mornings Growing that their rate this year Is
little .ess than II last year. DO you mink they
are going TO increase their taxes solely ana on'y 10
diminish our taxes: Not much DO you suppose
thew viii reduce the assessed values Of Brooklyn
proper,y when by that act they must, IN order 10
keep the aggregate value In the two cites up 70 i''
wesent point increase the assessed values vi new"
Yort nroner,v, Where are the two wYorkers who
want 500 added to the assessed values OF 'heIr
ITO houses in order that $1,000 may be taken OK
from the assessed value Of my house in brooklyn.
And after their taxable valuations have been thus
increased their rate those increased values must
comes down the New-York rate must go up And And
WAT for? Why. 10 diminish Brooklyn taAes' ~, 's
Ssin notice ;ss; winter that New-York would tot
rste no such nonsense.
THE QUESTION OF UNIFORM TAHATloN.
when the bill providing for popular vote on an
ssza,lon was pending in the Legislature. II was pro-
posed to insert proviso that assessments anu 'aN
should be uniform In the two great sec"o"'
Of the consolidated city. The New-York men de-
ieited that provso And yet there are sun he" u,
Brooklyn who ,nnocent.y believe New-fork WILL
rani after she has the power TO refuse. Una, S
,siu:sd TO promise to grant as 70 swallow the
hare hook in the hope that after he cangh, a nsb
ss ssd s ssy w Of ff the b n befofe he
never gets any. l say that II we couon 49,, se,
condition guaranteeing US sap pssner OF our ndepend-
.n existence It is foolish TO hope 70 oman tro a our
he voting power has been tra rssr "o'''
but the real estate boomers say BROOKLYN prop
cry vi: become much more Yaiuaote aoes: and
suppose NewYo1k p refuses to add to It's taxes IN
order to relieve Brooklyn Of It's taxes; narked
W 50 that our taxes would be greater, and the
money all given 10 Tammany TO expehd'
PUBLIC WORKS FOR BROOKLYN.
That leads me 70 ask what may expect from
New-York In the way Of pubic WORKS i'ea' !"
mind that the votes 10 control the greater city are
at the other end Of the Bridge. They are not !"
Brooklyn Now. will our New-Ycrk masters sNe
Us better payemen,s. cleaner streets. more eincie.'
departments new parks? WEI they be hkey u
axe deeper interest IN Brooklyn's welfare 'hal ".
AXE In own? VIII they send good New io'n
money over here 10 give us improvements ]" NOV,
snd the rnon.v ha exnended here must be raised
see would rather have Brooklyn men spei nNdi 90;
prefer scheren to Gi:roy, Alfred White 70 cross.
eshsd Park Commissioners Of Sew-3o ls.h an'
~ Commissioner Weiles 10 Martin anu i, nrnak,
uher think the residents OF any street IN p,J
y You'd get consideration from tnesy pID
ybnvn