New-York tribune., 1896-01-07
rOP GRiDy4L CONSOLIDATION.

TOR GRADCAL CONSOLIDATION.
The Municipal Consolidation Commission has
made public Il memorial which, together with
a bill creating a Greater Ncw-Iolk, VIII be
presented to the Legislature tomorrow. The
bill proposes nothing more than an autholitn-
tive declaration of union To tlkc effect on Janu-
airy l. 1898. though the memorial suggests. not
quite consistently with that postponcment. the
proprcty and advantage Of setting i'll motion
at once the unified departments Of police and
health \ memorandum accompanying this
document SAWS that the Commissions bill Is 10
be introduced by Senator Lexow. but ii would
be rash TO infer from this that the alleged plan
TO lcgislatc certain officials of this city ont OF
office forthwith has been abandoned or with
drawn for repairs Another bill may he cx-
pccted TO appear upon the calendar without
much dclqv in readiness 10 be pushed at the
earliest opportunity: though We admit that since
the strenuous opposition which Brooklyn Is
making began 10 be felt AT Albany the prospect
of quick success for such a scheme has seemed
TO Us decidedly remote. Upon the face of IL,
the measure proposed by the Commission GER
tainlv doe; not in the least correspond To the
supposcd intentions Of the politicians who have
calculated on controlling tie Legislature. This
is equally true also of the suggestion that new
police and sanitary administration should begin
NJ once. for the Commission adds that the
Mayors Of Ncw-York and Brooklyn might well
be empowered 10 appoint the commissioners
Of those departments.
The statements of the memorial concerning
this momentous question of municipal conSoli-
dation are sober and weighty, as they would p'
expected to be, coming from commission of
..fi In mr.
wears have been studying the problem carefully
and sincerely They do not imagine. as some
persons have seemed to do. that all the vas and
complicated machinery of Il unified government
can he put into instant and efficient operation
by means of a bill hastily drawn in som"
LAWYERS Office They acknowledge cIndliy
that the task Of consolidation Is one of great
magnitude and difficulty which can be com
pleted only by gradual steps though they are
convinced that its execution should not be long
DELAYED since present obstacles must be more
firmly established and new ones developed with
the lapse Of time Their bill provides thai
thc Commission shall be authorized to prepare
a charter and such measures of practical con
soldation as may appear 10 be necessary with
special regard To equality Of valuation and tax
alton. If the work is 10 90 on, these citizens
are in our opinion the ones to direct it, They
have clearly shown that they comprehend the
nature Of the operation. and resolved TO
proceed cautiously and conServatiyely 10 the
end.
As have said repeatedly. scheme inV"lV-
ing such vast interests and already objection
able to 50 many Of the people concerned ought
not to be rushed through the Legislature Nor
holt. t1,af is
The opposition TO consolidation without rcSub
mission is strong and active. and 1t is bound
to be heard at Albany and elsewhere. The
Tribune has heartily favored the union which Il
ma ioriy Of the people have appeared to desire.
but we should consider it duty to oppose any
snap legislation which was designed to promote
4 purpose of personal ambition or revenge.
However the people Of Brooklyn may have
felt. or seemed to feel. a year ago they are at
liberty 10 express their present sentiments
through their representatives in the Legislature
and 10 insist that those who may have the power
TO settle their destiny irrevOcably shall give
careful and respectful attention TO all pertinent
arguments on the subject. New-lorh does not
want to achieve consolidation by an act Of
tyranny. In the propositions OF the Munlcipal
Commission we do not detect trace of insin-
ccrty They undoubtedly furnish basis for
thorough and exceedingly useful discussion. As
we have inmatcd, they seem 10 be slightly
contradictory in terms: but. if they are, their
inconsistencies can be readily adjusted. If we
understand the bill, ii provides that nothing of
conclusive character shall be accomplished for
two years, and that interval Is certainly long
enough for the purpose Of those who maintain
that popular opinion in Brooklyn only needs an
opportunity to prove that 1t Is Overwhelmingly
opposed to consolidation.