New-York tribune., 1896-01-25
CONSOLIDATION COMMITTEE'S LIVELY DAY

CONSOLIDATION COMMITTEE'S LIVELY DAY
ux-coNGRrssMAN coc.MBs POINTS THE FINGER
OF WARNING AT CHICAGO CITING 1T AS
HORRIBLE EXAMPLE OF THE ANNEXA-
rloN ARGUMENT AND PRoPHEsYING
ITS EMBRACE OF ALL ILLINOIS
IN CASE GREATER NEW
YORK BECOMES RE
AIITY-S. L. WOOD
HOUSE SPEAKS
FOR REF
ERENDuM
The third hearing on the subject or Greater
New-York took place in Part IN or the supreme
Court yesterday morning. The same interest
which characterized the former hearings was
plainly manifest Among those present were
w. c. Redield S l.. Woodhouse, Corporation
Counsel Mcdonald. s. V White, Franklin Wood
ruff. A. A. Low Edward Barr Rufus L. Scott,
lanes Matthews James d. Lynch. Edward f.
Linton c. W Chauncey. Nelson j. Gates. Ed
ward NJ. Grout. Sanders S1anks Alexander I.
Calder, Russell Parker and A. Abraham.
The committee was rather late In arriving. 1t
was II 30 o'clock when Senator LeXow called the
session 10 order
Letters arguing against consolidation were re-
ceived by the committee from William j. Gill
bert and placed on file 10 be considered with
the other arguments when the question is DIS
cussed AT Albany. The letters contained threats
of political reprisal next November in case re-
submission is not granted.
BREEZY DISCUSSION.
Mr. Matthews placed two letters with the
committee one from (. w Bliss and the other
from Edwin Knowles who wrote In favor OF
consolidation. The proceedings We're at one time
very lively. especially during Mr. Redhelds
speech, when. after assertion by Mr. Rediieid
that Senator LeXow was an enemy OF the anti
consolidationists. Mr.. LeXow resented the re-
marks, and, In the dialogue which followed, re-
torted that Mr. Redfield was no gentleman.
Mr. Redfed in opening the proceedings intro
duced ex-Congressman William ]. Coombs, presi-
dent Of the Manufacturers Trust Company Mr..
Coombs began by saying that he doubted If the
presidents Of the banks and trust companies OF
this city, with the exception Of three who mad
declared for consolidation, had the consent OF
their stockholders. Mr.. Lexow interrupted TO
ask Mr.. Coombs if he thought any reputable
bank president would assume 10 represent the
sentiment of his stockholders without first OBJ
ta!ning their consent In reply Mr. Coombs
stated that the officers frequently fell into the
habit of signing similar bank papers. taking it
for granted that they represented the ideas Of
their stockholders
.I think" said he. that If these gentlemen
have had that authority they ought TO show 1t.
/ do not think that any bank officer would in
tentionally misrepresent In that way. Now, in
case of consolidation the party that primarily
favors it will be the first to suffer
But | do not come here az politician. !
speak as a citizen of forty years standing
have always considered 1t high honor when
away from home 10 call myself a citizen of
Brooklyn Some gentlemen, l understand, are
ashamed TO do this Why should they be?
BROOKLYN has always been In the van Of reform;
she has carried out improvements in manner
10 reflect credit on the municipality"
LExow RISES WITH A QUERY
At this point. in answer to question by Mr.
I.exow. If. in the event Of consolidation the ad-
ministrative expenses would not be materially
reduced, the speaker replied in the negative
LAS an illustration" said he. "a business of
$1,000 900 increased to s2,000,0OO would not pro-
portionately decrease the expenses. This can.
as a business man. assert"
Mr. Coombs continued that he was surprised
TO see New-York tending in the footsteps or
Chicago in regard to absorbing outside territory
and people. If NewYork does this, he said,
q
one better Chicago will take in the whole Of
Illinois in that event, and then, as an annexa-
ton problem, New-York and Brooklyn would
be compelled to take back seat" In refer
ence TO the Lexow inquiry in New-York Of last
year. he called Mr.. Lexows attention TO the
fact. as he said. that the policy Of municipal
government wo5 not solved. He asked the
chairman that IL such corruption. with no means
to correct II, had been discovered in NeW-fork,
how much more difficult it would be to secure
honest government n the greater city. Sena-
tor Lexow here Interrupted and contradicted
Mr. Coombs's s.at.'.ent. He said that reform
had been gained. shown by Mayor Strongs
majority at the last election. That, he thought,
was a sufficient answer TO Mr.. Coombs's criti-
cism Mr. Coombs created q laugh, which Sena-
tor Lexow sternly suppressed. by saying that
reform in New-York was sporadic correction.
and that he did not think any permanent re-
form existed.
Senator Grady-All that was found that you
refer TO, Mr.. Coomts. in the LexOw inquiry was
the blackmail Of egitimate institutions Not
a dollars worth Of dishonesty was discovered in
the city government If you refer to blackmail
and similar civic corruption, all that can say
is that such things have existed since the world
began and are quite likely to exist. and II will
De so WnetNef COnSOuudtlOn comes OF not.
COOMBS AND LEXOw ARGUE.
An argument between Mr.. Lcxow and Mr..
Coombs then followed. the chairman taking the
ground that the people were absolute, and
monarchs, in fact, and that. II they disliked the
laws passed by their rulers. they had the power
In their own hands to annul such Jaws. He called
Mr. Coombs's attention to the fact that the bill
for consolidation was not intended to go into
effect before January l. 1888, ana that, in the
mean time, the business of the respective gov
ernments would go on just the same, while
proper laws being framed to meet the