St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-12
RETURNING REASON.

The failure of the Greater New York
bill to receive the approval of the may
ors of New York city and Brooklyn
Indicates returning reason upon the
part of the people of the two prin-
cipal municipalities which 1t was pro-
posed to consolidate. At the outset,
the Greater New York idea carried
everything before 1t with a whoop.
Nobody seemed to have an idea be-
yond the virtue and the value of big
ness. 1t was computed how great a
population the consolidated municipal
lty could boast, how it would put the
Eastern metropolis ahead Of Chicago
for many years to come, and how it
would make this one of the greatest
cities, measured by population, in the
whole world. The people affected were
caught, as all Americans are liable to
be, by the sensational element, the ad-
vertising side of the scheme the no.
ton that they could boast themselves
to be bigger and more powerful than
somebody else.
Fortunately, they have had time for
reflection in the interval required to
complete the necessary legislation. In
this period the people have stopped to
think what is likely to be the effect
upon the purity and economy Of their
local governments. They have seen
that bigger city does not mean a
better, but probably a worse governed
city. Second thoughts have shown
them that the contest that is being
Waged all over the country for munich
pal reform is one of which there is
most need, and one whose success Is
most difficult in proportion as the nom
ulation of the cities increases. The
more people, the more offices. The
more prizes to be struggled for, the
greater opportunities for plumber, the
greater incentive to the formation 90
rings and the rise Of bosses. Tinat 10
the universal rule in American cities.
1t behoeyes, therefore, those who have
already suffered from bad government
to establish reforms firmly before they
move toward changes that would make
bad government worse.
No one familiar with the recent his
tory Of local rule in New York citv
and Brooklyn can entertain a moments
doubt that the proposed consolidation
would be to the detriment Of the peo-
pie of both. This is the argument
which has finally made itself felt; and
which may; as it certainly ought to
succeed in leaving the Greater New
York a mere creature of the magma
ton, to be realized only at that future
day when the government Of cities
shall have been placed upon an entirely
different basis. When national party
names have no longer any power in
municipal elections, when local officials
are chosen solely for their honesty and
competency, when the business of the
great city is managed exactly as Is
the business Of great mercantile or
manufacturing concern, when civil serv-
ice reform is in actual operation in ev-
cry department, when municipal agen-
cies are as effective and as economic
ally administered as private concerns.
then 1t may be worth while to talk
about the further economies and ad
vantages to be obtained from the con-
solidation of adjacent cities. Until that
time comes, the smaller the area. of mn
nicipal government, the less likelihood
of abuse 1t will be a gain for good
government to have the Greater New
York project abandoned, and the at
tention Of cities everywhere in this
country turned from the rivalry of
statistics Of population to the rivalry
of honesty and economy in the man
agement of their affairs.