New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-22
IExOW'S REPORT ADOPTED.
I1AuE REPLY TO BROOKLYN.
&C., ARGUMENTS FOR A REFERENDUM
SET AT NAUGHI.
ur CONSOLIDATION BILL TO BE RUSHED.
-, rrxow SAYS 1T WILL PROBABLY BE RE-
,oorrD PRINTED AND READY FOR ACTION
ny NExw THURSDAY - BRUSH AND
MKECWN SIGN A MINORITY REPORT
rEy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIprNE.l


NxEovx SIGN MINORITY REPORT.
tBy TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIpuNEl
,nanv Feb Ex-senator Lexow submitted
81. renort on the Greater New-York question to
-. subcommittee of the Senate and Assembly
c.,ss Committees this morning. After only ten
,,nutes' consideration all the Republican mem
,.rs except Senator Brush signed it. Senator
GRADY of Tammany Hal. also signed 1t, as IL
wss expected he would because the Tammany
,o,ticans believe that their share of public
nunder will be largely increased if Republican
Brooklyn is united with Democratic New-n orK.
Senator Brush, Republican. and Assembiy1nan
McKeown. Democrat OF Brooklyn. signed
minority report, which has already been printed
in The Tribune. declaring that the question OF
the consolidation of New-York and Brooklyn
should be resubmitted to the people living IN
the Greater New-York territory on the ground
that the vote Of 1894 not a fair basis FOR
action on the part of the Legislature of 1896.
There was slight difference Of opinion among
the Republicans in regard to the question OF
leaving cut of Greater New-York part Of
Queens County previously intended to be IN
GUIDED in 1t. Regarding this matter Senator
Isxow said: "Au of tho members of the sub
committee reserve the right to act as they IN
dividualy desire when the full committee takes
I'D the report for final action so far as the ques-
ton Of including the towns Of Flushing, ia
maica and a portion Of Hampstead Is con-
cerned" Senator Grady. in his memorandum
attached TO the LeXow report. said that not
only did he favor the union of New-lork and
Brooklyn. recommended III the report. but also
the consolidation decreed by the people in 1894,
and he dssented from that portion of the report
which excluded the towns OF Queens County
from Greater New-York.
The members of the Legislature showed little
interest in the report They were we'll aware
Of what Lexow would say. What did interest
them was the Greater New-York bill accom-
panying the report. which was printed in The
Tribune this morning. It's substitution for the
old non-partisan Greater New-York Commits
sion of a new one of fifteen members, it was
generally agreed. was a device of politicians
TO obtain control Of the formation of the char
ter Of Greater NewYork and any patronage
which might be manufactured by the Com
mission.
ALL DEPENDS on THE GOVERNOR
II was also generally agreed that Governor
Morton, If the bill should be passed. had great
opportunity in narng the nine controlling
members of the Commission 70 select men OF
such high type as to render impossible the
accomplishment of any schemes TO grasp control
~ the chief departments of Greater New-forK
/, will rest upon the Governor in making TINS
selection of Commissioners to determine whether
or not supplemental bills shall be introduced
putting Thomas c. Platt in possession OF 'he
Police Department. the Health Department.
the Department of Public Works and the Fire
Department Of New-York.
The Senators and Assemblymen from Brook
lyn are greatly disappointed over the REFUSAL OF
the subcommittee to make them any conces-
s,ons As the bill is drawn, Brooklyn VIII nave
no referendum Of the charter nor Tesupii'a
s,o, % the question Of union with New-York
The charter under which Brooklyn taxpayers
ara 20 live is 70 be shaped by the Greater
New-York Commission and adopted oy t'ie
LEGISLATURE. The taxpayers are to have no voice
In the matter
Senator Jexow implied to-day that an attempt
would he made to rush the Greater New-York
hill through the Legislature The report Oh
the bill" he said. will be submitted TO the SEN
ate and Assembly Committees on Cities on tues
day morning and think 1t will be reported Dy
those committees 10 the Legislature the same
dav. That will enable the State Printer TO
have Il printed and on the desks OF the mem
hers ready Tor action by Thursday morning
Ar. there 10 be no hearings by committees on
this new measure? VIII the Committees on
Cities swallow at once the Lexow Dill MT
Stranahan chairman OF the senate committee
on Cities said last week that he FOR one was
,o,orort of Greater New-York matters. and he
was In favor Of going slow WIZ this iesIs'a-
,,or ue also said: when the Greater New
York bill comes from the Subcommittee IL Will
he treated as though we had never considered 1t
before" Has Senator Stranahan determined tc
.va,Iow the new Sill without examination
And wha, do Senators Nussbaum, White, Tib-
bits. Ahearn and McCarren. his fellow members
Of the Committee on Cities, propose 10 do!
MIR. LEx2w's REPORT.
rso ossootisi narts OF The Lexow report are
as follows:
toward the uncaton Of the popTatf0ns al has as
hen - ober,tion. This movement has. existed
since the creation OF brooklyn me move,he ne, !
waned al times but was finally pressed Gnai Gaa o. /,
culmnated in the appointment in 1899 OF the Greater
NewYork Commission. OF when Ia 4naTeT s,e a. nlookinq
toward consolidat ton. This Commission was ,i,t ,hs
creature Of the Legisature and nScates the put
pose Of the Legislature as tnen tAPie 90 orrs sn.
Sns n iaYSr Of 10 hs the provided under
that act TO limit the boundaries VI ,or r .ba aitan.
greater city and suggest legislation ior the ~
ment Of the proposed result. From the time OF the M
passage Of hat act until the passage OF tae i@S sS
became one the burning questions OF me onno
1t is remark here ha GTsaassa assumed e9pS SC
aggressive a shape that even this act -e
s,s 50 sGis Gf % the the ees1S
attempt made TO create hostility 20 Wv t % Inmc
the insertion OF amendment provdlnB loI IN %,
date equal and uniform taxation and Vaiu1'o" i'
the purpose Of taxation. . o,
This recital Is important in the subsequent oo ~
sderat!on OF the effect 10 be given 10 the W. ~ ~
1894 because II IL conceded tnat the question ~
equal taxation is lying close to the heai "
the people OF Brooklyn that even the noss 30 pY ep
nounced opponents OF consolidation admit tne CO
istence of an overwhelming sentiment In favor =. =.
municipal unfca tion, provided equal taIauo.i ,hs
unguallhedly guaranteed. And the attitude OF .i,'
LEGISLATURE in refusing TO embody an equal. .'aha AKA
on provision In the referendum bill OF 1874 wa
turned TO good account by the anti-consondation
lists as indicating legislative hostility to equal taA
alton; but this did not deter the people Q;
BROOKLYN from rolling up majority in faVor VI
.onsonjaton. pure and simple. We come. there
fore to the consideration OF that vote and what II
rinriHo IN this IlAyislafure