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Show r UTAH PRESS ASSOCIATION'S CAPITAL NOTEBOOK By David C. Pruden The uncensored flow of information concerning the activities of governmental bodies to the citizenry to whom they are responsible is the cornerstone of a democratic republic. Recently there has been a distrubing trend, at every level of government, toward repealing laws wat permit access to public records and doing away with legislation that requires the 'people's business' be conducted in the full light of day. "Nothing could be more irritational than to give the people power, and to withhold from them information without which power u abused. A people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with power which knowledge gives. A popular government without popular Information or "e means of acquiring it is but a prologue to farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both." James Madison From city councils who wish to restore closed door FLmgS 10 conKressionaI efforts to dismantle the reedom of Information Act, there are those who ould sacrifice precious freedoms in the name of "S0rary convenience- e of the Utah Press Association wish to make Th Pp!i0n Clear 10 tn08e who woulcl inquire. 6 "Ms has been, throughout our history, ponsible for providing informa tion to our fellow of We mU8t defend the constitutional right a free people to inquire into the activity of those om they have chosen to be stewards of the gWesome power of government. If the United 68 of America is to continue in freedom we st take this responsibility seriously. We intend to resist any effort to weaken these amental rights whenever and wherever they miffht e"ged- Those who sacrificed so that we Kit enjoy the fruits of a free society would Pect nothing less of this generation. |
