Show A SHOW OF OPENNESS ON april let the city council found itself in an awkward situation A motion was put and carried that the council go into executive session and the mayor made the announcement the room was cleared of spectators spectator sand and reporters when it occurred to certain members that a good opportunity was presented to make a show of open new ness in the transaction of city bust busi ness by filling city offices in open instead of secret session A member raised the point that secret sessions were unlawful and 8 S A merritt eab the city at Q torney who waa present being appealed to laid before the council the legal proposition that it had no lao right to te hold executive sessions he quoted section 8 of article III of the general municipal law passed in 1888 as follows see sec 8 it the council shall sit with open doors and shall keep a journal of its proceedings the mayor found a short cut out ot of the dilemma by simply declaring out of order the motion to into executive session this flat suddenly transformed the existing condition of secrecy to one of publicity the doors were thrown open and the yeomanry surged in as before the city cily attorney is known to be a very jovial gentleman and has a countenance which indicates ability to enjoy a good joke HO he ik also reputed to lt be a good lawyer aind thoroughly familiar with the statutes and duties relating to his hig position we dislike to accuse him of a blunder orlo orto charge him with having played a practical joke on the council but ilia his guilt is fixed as to one or the other the section of the statute which he be quoted as prohibiting executive sessions lons does not apply to cities incorporated corp orated before that statute was pawed passed even if it did it would be interpreted in the light of well settled parliamentary law and usage and would be construed to mean that the ordinary business of ahr the council must be transacted with open doors but that discussions which the interests of the muni mulli ci require to be kept private priva tr may take place in executive seq to fu take the poI position tIon that all that is said and done ly by the codd ell cil must bensaid be said and done in public is absurd all A II 11 parliamentary bodi bodies 18 have a ue essary emary and natural right to so go into executive session it if they choose it will be well for the city if all ail its I 1 business shall lie transacted in a ilia man n netto correspond with this outward openness but if everything has been opeti open autt aun above boardway board why did one councilman got get I to quote a term used I 1 in u the same connection by the chief Lib liberal mIll organ because more than one nomination was made for a certain city office last evening and if all city business has been dotie done in open session who are the citizens citi zeus and taxpayers that were present when u lien the compensation of city officers was publicly discussed dim cussed before being irrevocably fixed were not the nomi nominations nomination natio a aud and salaries agreed u upon in caucus and when all 11 t the members of the council are of the same political party what is the difference between a cambus caucus and an ala executive session semion these matters require explanation in order to harmonize much that thai has hae been done in the line of public with this show ot of openness otherwise the latter will be suspected of havi ng two object a reflection upon the former council anu aim a desire to secure to the present one undeserved credit |