The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-03-25
The GREATER NEW York.
County and Constitutional LimitAtioas a 9
May Hiad.r Hts Advent.

County and Constitutional Limitations a ss
May Hiadsr Hts Advent.
It 10 popularity supposed that tho determi-
nation Of the question whether there will be q
Greater New York will be decided BY the votes
OF the citizens OF the localities interested. In
the election OF November. but the fact Is that
the law which is adopted merely provides for
an expression Of popular sentiment on the
subject. and leaves absolutely to the next
Legislature. or one Of its successors. the carry
ing into effect OF the scheme or its rejection
1t Is the belief OF soms persons who not infre-
quently discern obstacles to tho adoption Of
progressive ideas. that unless the Constitu-
tionAl Convention. which meets In Albany
two months hence. takes the matter
In hand. there will be serious difficulties
OF q constitutional character to be over
CONS. Cities chartered by the Legislature
are subject to the administration. In state
matters. Of the counties to which they belong
There are sixty counties. and II the plan OF the
Greater New York as now proposed Is adhered
to. the new m Municipality must extend over
portions OF four counties. each having = sep
sTAte county Organization. or Kings county
must be wiped out entirely. for II would pre-
sent the anomaly OF a county within a city. in
stead OF city within a county As provided by
county are Identical in boundaries, but this is
true OF no other city In the state. and there is
several couAtiss. any more than there is a city
partly In one state and partly In another
There is no provision under the State Con-
stitution which any one has discovered for the
obliterstion OF q county. and that document
lied prior to 1915 shall with the exception OF
Hamilton. be entitled to separate representa-
ton in the legislature. The same clause pro-
yldes that the LEGISLATURE may abolish the
Il TO divide at any time any county or
town, but II gives no power for the sx-
tlnetion Of . county already established. 6hsr-
ms and District Attorneys are county off-
GERS. ,and II the county lines In the Greater
District Attorneys exercising Jurisdiction for
offences committed within different parts OF
the same city. and four shsrtf1s TO carry out
the various processes OF the courts In one city.
New York aud Brooklyn. In New York last
year the rate was 81 while In Brooklyn It
was 2S4; One ot the strongest arguments
used BY the Brooklyn advocates OF the Greater
two cities toR ether there would DO an squEli-
cation OF the burden which now rests with IN
due severity upon the people Of Brooklyn.
There ls. too. marked disparity in the debt
S hSTt 0Sin oS on and s1o s::S
having . debt Of t47 600 900, against an
assessed valuation Of s495. 90 OO0 In one
case the Debt represents hye per cent OF
the valuation I; in the other 1t represents ten.
Some Of IL Is contracted b. the city Some OF
r. was assumed on the annexation OF three
hestehesteI towns in 1874 These obstacles
may make difficult the work Of the Legislature
which has 70 provide eomDrehensiys law for
the project IN November, but the advocates Of
the scheme believe that these obstacles and
any others which may present themselves
VII D AusesssialJ sTsEeonss