New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-02
THE CHARTER IlEARlNH'


. W ''''''" WV y Q 'f''t
DEPICTS.
MAYOR STRONG LIsTENs To NRGuNNN - '"'''
: Jouv 2 p>nsoXS. GEORGE l. RlvES' EN'Jr''H
HENRY F. uowtANp. SIMON STERN.
HORACE z. prMlNG. join NJ BOW
Frs AID WHEELER II PECK
uAM ANp TO , LEI
TER FROM En-
MAYOR GRACE
Navor Strong Yesterday afternoon gave up two
hours ~ his time 10 listening 10 arguments aHhlS'
The Greater Ncw-York charter lie sat al th'
clerks desk in the chamber OF tho Board o' N''''
men and confronted large number OF p'o''''.s'
mon NJ tho CITY who were present 70 near Inc
arguments They made imposing array. he'o''
the talk in opposition 10 the charter ''s', ~"
D. Navor said he had received letter from cN-MaHor
william r. Grace. which expressed regret 'n"'
illness prevented his appearance among the oppo-
nents OF the charter President Williams % tue
Chemical Bank had sent similar letter.
John l.. Parsons. who was the frSt speaker 'oo
NJ tho meeting AT the city club Monday evening
when representatives Of the Bar Association u'
Real Estate Exchange. the Academy OF Medicine,
the Chamber Of Commerce, the board o. I''"' anu
/ TRANSFORMATION tho Union League club. the lily
r,,nrovcnont Society and other ORGANIZATIONS ar
r,ncoj for tho orderly presentation Of the argu-
mems against the charter. and he declared that
the Mayor ought consider that the organlza-
tons opposed The charter represented the Dee
/ interests O the city.
George l. Ri,os described the charter as tho
prodnc Of haste and he read the resolutions which
the Bar Association had passed condcmning the
measure Ex-Judge Henry T.. Rowland declared
! that the charter was such bad law that II "oun
| hc n boon TO lawyers. who would wt"nsie over ia
! construction wheeler H. Pcckham proceeded TO
/ point ont some OF the provisions which were 50
| faulty rs TO lead 10 great trouble Simon st"rne
made "A Ions plea FOR delay. in order that the char-
/ ter might be- perfected before It goes into effect.
at was PUT through the Legislature without being
read" he said. and it did not receive the oons'd-
! Grafton TO which measure o. such moment ~
100000 people was entitled
Horace f. Dcming declared that every member
/ o. the Bar Association who had studied the Charter
! had been filled with horror and indignation on a.
count OF its impcricctons. The intelligent people
Of the city he said are saving Are Cretans. to
have a Government thrust upon us by concert
OF powers against our Will? We do not oppose con-
solidation but do oppose oppression" lie want
ell the Mayor to return the bill without his ap
proval and with request to have it revised.
John W. Bowers described tho charter as bad in
| substance and bal tn form, and b" declared that
! the charter coulI be condensed from 500 pages
/ TO % pages ana made ineligible Mr.. Parsons
| then announced thai ~y Mayor Grace had sent
! written expression Of his View and the letter OF
| Mr. Grace was read. Il contained the following
| among other statements.
| Tho city Of Brooklyn. far behind US in everything
going 10 make Us ID great city. Is separated from
/ us 10y a great river impossible OF being brdged
except at enormous expense and great obstruction
TO commerce. II took nearly hitc"h years 10 pulll
/ the only bridge now connecting the two cities; but
! scratch % a pen il can unite BrooklynS interests
with ours with ADVANTAGE l suppose TO both cities
longs 10 tho city generally ana has been acquired
] lX u
| ON IL parity We wouG be forced to take the
! BROOKLYN waterfront 10y condemnation at ex-
travagamt prices and the present New-Yorl
would have TO respond for the major part Of the
II the consolidation is effected we will have
four counties IN one city. with ali the confusion
that would come from the four sherihs and the
! four u county officials which means num-
! berless nconvenences and ltleaiions dne to con
| remembered that The county lines are fixed by
| the Constitution and cannot be changed by the
beieve that it is only sentimentaIity which
has induced many NewY orkers to advocate
the union Of the cities. in order that the Create
symiPathE OF SeaIH H ~ my time and attention
to any plan which would maxi Network the
best governed city in the world. and to my mind
his is the only sentiment which IS worthy Of
consideration With consolidation 7 fear very
much it Will be an object Impossible Of attain
The scheme Of Greater New-York Is as OK
/ travaeant in its conception rs a great trust.
It is true that cites ana villages, great and
small. are give UP their business OF sclf-SON-
/ eminent aud TO join the combine. city unlike
trust. Is not proft-sharing enterprise. but q
burden bearing undertaking. and in this case the
/ hrunt of the extra expense must be borne by the
taxpayers OF the present New-York
William l. Rogera said it would cost S7oOoO00O
to put Brooklyn in the cordition in which New
| York is to-day and tina. the charters plan for
| the equalization OF taxation would be ruiaous to
| the taxpayers Of this city.
Other speakers against the charter Alfred
T. Marllne Richard Deeves. John Connolly,
/ Moses Ottinger and \. i. Levy. The arguments
, against the charter Will 20 on before the Mayor
/ al = D. m. to-day. and among the speakers Will
| be ex-Mayor Hewitt representing the Chamber
/ OF Commerce.