Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-12
Leg,slatine with Closed Doors.

Legisiating with Closed Doors.
The twelve Counciimen who legislate
for this city appear to be popular. There
are no indications that there is lack Of
confidence IN their honesty or their ability
e. discharge intelhgently and satisfacto-
rily their official duties. II is a matter Of
wonder however, why they deem it nee
essary 20 settle matters Of importance
with closed doors. As they are the peo-
pies servants what reason is there for
this secrecy? Why should not the people
know what this or that Councilman has
10 say about matters in which they are
deeply interested? Do the COuncilmeu
think that it is none OF the peoples business
what arguments are used in reaching
conclusions on questions in which the
whole city is interested, or what position
this or that Councilman takes on such
questions? If this is not the correct in
depreciation of this secret legislation
what is the correct Interpretation? OF
course the COuncilmen do not wish it TO
be understood that they are afraid 20 have
the people know the reasons which deter
mine their action in the various matters
which come before them. To suspect
anything OF that sort would be to doubt
that they have confidence in their own
ability to meet the requirements of their
positions.
! Take, for instance, this matter ~
choosing pavement for BroughtOn street.
Doubtless there Will be general acqui-
escence in the Councils choice, even
though the pavement selected may not be
the one for which the greatest effort was
made, because the Council has the conf
dence OF toe people; but the people, new
ertheless, would like to have known what
the COuncilmen thought of the different
kinds of paYements while they were
considering them. The Council has
engaged in no jobs, and has done
nothing that would justify a suspicion
that if the opportunity we're presented il
would prove false to the trust repOsed in
it. But, il the practice is continued of
discussing and deciding important mat
! tiers with closed doors, there may come a
time when the absence of good reasons
for doing certain things may excite sus-
picion that there has been crooked work
of some kind.
What good, strong reason is there for
not considering openly all municipal mat
tersp If Councilman opposes or favOrs
certain measure, let him stand up in a
manly fashion before his constituents and
tell them his reasons for so doing. The
people have right to know why this or
that thing is done, and why another thing
is not done. The simple announcement
that IL has haan dafarpnipad 70 ,,urano a
certain course does not always satisfy
them. In fact, there are questions upon
which suggestions might be made that
would be valuable to the Council, and
which would be made doubtless if such
questions were discussed with open doors
before decision was reached.
Secret legislation is hostile to the spirit
Of our institutions. IL is as Objectionable
in municipal affairs as in State and ma
tiOnal affairs. A very strong effort is now
being made to get the United States Sem
ate TO abolish executive sessions, and it
is pretty safe to predict that it Will even
tually be successful. The reasons for
executive sessions OF the Senate, how
ever, cannot be urged in support of Sc
cret legislation by municipal assemblies.
What would be the result If Congress or.
a State Legislature should undertake to
determine all matters of importance with
closed doors? Does anybody suppose that
the people would stand anything of that
kind!
While the COuncilmen of this city are
undoubtedly disposed to do what they be-
heve to be for the city's interest, it does
Hot follow that they are justified in shut
ting the public out from their deIibera-
tiOns. The people, although they have
confidence in the Councilmen, want to
know the reason why thing is done as
we'll as that it is done.