New-York tribune., 1896-01-15
THE INVESTIGATORS NAMED.
MEN WHO WILL CONDUCT PLATT's
GREATER NEw-YORK INQUIRY.

rxcEPr SENATOR BRUSH. ARE ON RECORD
IN FAVOR OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
WITH THE MEMBERS
rsy TELEGRAPH TO THE TR1BUNE.1
Albany. Jan. 14.-Shall NewYork and Brook
,vn he united? This is the question that Will be
discussed the latter part OF the week before
subcommittee of the Senate and Assembly Com
,r,.,eee on Cities. The meeting Will take place
=, proou,vn whose citizens are so keenly inter-
os,ed IN the outcome Of the Legislatures action
I, regard to the subject OF consolidation.
Tho subcommittee which will be arbiter in
,bis interesting discussion was appointed to-day
w Senator Stranahan the chairman OF the SEN
ale Committee Cities He named. as repre-
..,,atives OF his own body, Senator Lexow. of
Nvack: Senator Page. Of New-lork; Senator
prush. of Brooklyn. and Senator Grady Of New
York He appointed. as representatives OF the
Assembly Mr. Austin. of New-York; Mr..
ocradv Of Rochester,: Mr. KeensholtZ. Of Al
hanv; Mr. Wells. Of Syracuse and Mr.. Mcheowh'
- Rrooklyn 1t is evident from this selection
that Senator Stranahan thoroughly believes IN
,ba nolicy Of uniting New-York and BROOKLYN
,or every member of the subcommittee, except
George W. Brush. of Brooklyn. Is ALREADY Oh
record in favor of consolidation. They 20 10
Erooblyn committed against resubmitting 10 the
neople Of that city the question or union with
New-York Their report in that respect may al
ready be predicted; but. neVertheless' 'ne nv"
NJ Brooklyn will have an opportunity at the
hands of these prejudced persons to give puDhc
expression TO whatever they may have to say
IN opposition to being Joined with New orK'
Public opinion. thus expressed, VIII go peFoho
the committee room and will reach other menl-
bers of the Legislature and Governor Morto"
himself.
One Of the most curious facts In relation to
the present Legislature is that 1t Is the private
opinion of a large part of the Republican mem
,ars that II is political madness to amalgamate
the Republican city Of Brooklyn with the Demo
cratic CITY of New-York They will give this
or,rion IN priyate but since Thomas c. Platt
hos said that he favors the union Of the cities
they declare that they will probably support
measure of consolidation II one is presented
This willingness TO sacrifice the Republicans or
Rrooklvn at the dctation Of political boss is
the more surprising when 1t is known that the
1ammany Hall Democrats and the hlngs
County Democrats in the Legislature also faVoT
consolidation, believing that they can then' pv
means Of the tremendous Democratic majority
created in Greater New-York. forever rule the
ci,v and divide its enormous spoils without fear
Of hindrance.
SINCERE INQUIRY NOT EXPECTED.
The general belief here in Albany. from evil
dence which has come to the members OF the
LEGISLATURE is that, after the Subcommittee mas
conducted 2 sham investigation into the Greater
New-York scheme for four or five weeks IN
New-York and Brooklyn. they VIII return mere
and submit a bill. already drawn up by FRANK
H. Platt and in a pigeon-hole In the once
Of Tracy Boardman & Platt. declaring New
York and Brooklyn consolidated. and also pro-
yiding that Governor Morton shall at once
name a state Commission to rule the fo1ce
Departments of New-York. Brooklyn and Long
Island CITY AS for the remainder of the work
of uniting city departments. Of reconciling city
debts and other business Of great Importance
that must be done slowly and with great care
The law firm Of Tracy. Boardman d Platt OF
course, stands ready to draw up a charter Tor
Greater New-York. 1t will be an enormous
work and 1t will involve great labor and big
fees Perhaps 100000 year will be spent for
fees.
The members Of the Senate and Assembly
Committee on Cities gave some interesting views
to-day on the mission Of the subcommittee IN
Brooklyn and New-York.
The question Of consolidation" said Senator
Lexow. Il regard as settled by the popular vote
in Brooklyn and New-York two years ago. We
now are to learn the terms under which the
cities wish TO be united Questions relating to
taxation. the number Of departments and the
debts Of the two cities will come before the
committee and then we will report back to the
Legislature what we have heard
Mr. Lexow is to be chairman Of the joint COM
fni.tee. He said tonight.
81 have called a meeting OF the joint sub-com-
mittee for tomorrow morning. when we will
consider plans for prosecuting the inquiry as to
the sentiment In favor Of consolidation. We VIII
meet In Brooklyn at the Court House Friday
and Saturday and begin to take testimony Our
work in Brooklyn can probably be finished in
two or three days. We will meet on Friday and
Saturday Of next week in New-York. and ascer-
tain what the feeling is there. Any one who has
any ideas to put forth Will be heard by the com
,n,,,ee see no reason why cannot finish
our work and submit a report before March !.
The committee will employ counsel but whom
they will engage has not yet been determined
SENATOR BRUsH'S VIEWS.
Senator George W. Brush. one Of the recog-
niz.d leaders of the Brooklyn delegation in the
LEGISLATURE spoke as follows concerning con-
soldstion: so far as the vote In 1894 Is con-
cerned we do not consider that II was fair ex-
nression because at that time the Consoiidatlon
Commission gave us to understand that the op-
ject was merely to obtain the sentiment OF the
voters We supposed that we were TO kno" 'he
terms Of consolidation and that 1t was not 10 De
left to New-York TO settle the question, when IL
was known that they could outvote Brooklyn Dy
10000 or $4,000 majority. In 1894 II nad ,i ma
any idea Of what the question embodied. should
never have voted in It's favor -,
Since the vote Of 1894. have studied the ques-
tion carefully and conscientOusly. and nave
read works on municipal government ana nave
reached the conclusion that consolidation "ouiu
be politically suicidal to Brooklyn and eventuaii.
70 a - AZ
concerned. Brooklyn fs composed largely OF peo-
pie who their homes. In New orh the
proportion Of those owning their homes Is pei
cent, while In Brooklyn 1t is IS per cent. Only
Of the Nnu,. York hames are free from