"Brooklyn is a gigantic borough. She is three times as large as Buffalo, the home of the Pan-American Exposition. She is twice as large as St. Louis, the home of the present Exposition. Brooklyn territorially is large enough and properly adapted to hold a population of 7,000,000, and still remain less congested than the present borough of Manhattan. Brooklyn is devoid of many of the characteristics that mark other great cities. She is almost totally lacking in hotel life. A city of one-tenth her population would have more hotels. But municipal greatness never rested upon hotel life. It breeds corpulence, not courage. It discourages the rearing of children, a thriving industry in Brooklyn. Brooklyn has not the wealth in proportion to her size that she should have. Brooklyn sat for long years under the shadow of old New York, contributing to the wealth of the metropolis, but obtaining nothing in return. Her population contributed to the real estate values upon Manhattan island. Her factories and forges made many of the fortunes that were spent across the East river. Only since consolidation have we received any dividends upon that ever increasing investment. We now pay $14,000,000 into the city treasury and take $17,000,000 out annually. Brooklyn has often been described as the bedroom of old New York. The description was apt, for Brooklyn has always been a city of homes, a city of those of moderate means, a city of respectability. Brooklyn has never been able to boast of her wealth, as other cities, nor has she had to blush for her poverty and depravity as some other cities have.