St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-09
Afraid Of Reporters, Alder
men Lock Themselves Up
Gall by Their Lonies.
The Executive Session Wasn't
So Very Executive as 1t
Might Be.
An Account of Aldermanic
Doings "on the Quiet" Is
Presented.
They Want to Extend Their
Terms But Don't Want
Salaries Cut.

In response to an invitation from the
committee on legislation the city coun-
Gil of the city of Minneapolis met in the
council chamber at 2 o'clock yesterday
afternoon to hear the report OF the COM
mittee and to discuss and take action on
the matters which the committee has
investigated. Nearly all the alder
men were present when the meeting
was called to order. President Johnson
took the chair and said that as the
meeting was not in the nature of reg
ular or special meeting of the council
proper, he would rather not serve as
chairman. and asked that a nomination
be made from the floor. Aid. Grimes
arose and moved that the. council
resolve itself into a committees OF
the whole for the consideration
of matters which had been brought be-
fore the committee OH legislation. The
motion was carried, and President
johnson called Aid. Potter to the chair.
He then took the floor and moved that
the committee of the whole sit in eX-
ecutive session. Several aldermen, who
imagine that they magnify themselves
il, the eyes of the people by holding
star chamber sessions, jumped at the
proposition and hoWled
FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION
Aid. Downs opposed it, saving that he
was not in favor of executive sessions
at all except where they were an alb
solute necessity and that he saw no call
for such move in the present
case. Aid. johnson explained his
motion, saying in substance that
the fathers were liable to scrap
during the evening session and
he thought it best to have only MEM
bers of the council present. He wasn't
opposed to having the results of the
meeting printed, but didn't want the
discussions to be heard. Aldermen
Adams. underwater and others eX-
pressed themselves as being opposed TO
star chamber sessions. One Thompson,
of the Eighth ward, said it had
things to say that it didn't want
reported, and as the reporters had
ported the proceedings of executive
sessions, it didn't believe it was neces
Sary to extend any cOurtesieS to the
press. Another alderman used ThOmp-
sons argument on the other side, say
ing that as long as executive sessions
were usually reported either correctly OF
in exaggerated form, it was better
not to hold them. The motion came to
vote and was nearly even. The yeas
and nays were called for. and the eX-
ecutiveS won by four votes. The re-
porterS and spectators retired and then
the fun begnn.
THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
The first matter brought up was the
proposal to create a contingent fund.
A resolution recommending the estab-
lishment of $4,000 contin-
gent fund to be drawn upon
only by three-quarter vote
of the whole council was adopted with
out discussion. 1t was also voted to
recommend the creation Of a legal de-
partment, placing all the work OF the
city and the various boards in the hands
of the city attorney and giving him as
many assistants as were found neceS-
Sary.
The next subject of discussion was
the liquor license question. Two bills
were presented for consideration
one allowing the issuance of a license
for six months or less at 5000: another
is to legalize the transfer of license in
the case of the death of the holder, or
the burning of the building designated
in the license. The council placed itself
on record as strongly opposed to the
former bill and the latter was tabled
after some general discussion.
THE REAL SPORT
commenced when affairs relating to the
aldermen themselves came up for dis
cussion and personal interests and feel
ings began to make themselves mani
fest, perhaps rather more freely than
they would in open meeting. The
matter of the term of office of
aldermen was the first to
come up. A motion favoring
a four-year term was introduced and
debate on that question was opened.
Aid. Cole thought four years was too
long. eff poor man is elected" said
he, 1.-TWO years is certainly long enough,
while if man proves himself valuable
he will be returned" Here Tom Downs.
the irrepressible, broke in to say
that there were several illustrations
of the latter contingency in
the council at the present
time. Some one suggested that it would
put things in very bad condition to
| have an entire council composed OF new
men unacquainted with the city'S af-
fairs, and the duties of an alderman.
Tom Downs rose once more, and. after
indorsing the sentiments of Gel. Cole,
informed the meeting that it
was folly to talk about there
being a council composed entirely
of new men, as such thing wouldn't
happen once in thousand years. He
was opposed, he said, to long terms in
representative bodies, because the peo-
pie ought to have the power to make
| their representatives feel their inf1u-
o,,oa o,,J thair Hic,1Iaac,1ra which oI,
iect was attained 10y frequent elections.
He was in favor of a two-year term.
E. NJ. johnson thought four years was
all right. He believed that man who
was fit to be an alderman at all I'M
proved with each year OF service, and
that his experience and acquaintance
with the methods of doing the
city business was an advantage
| to the people. He believed
| that the shortening of the term was a
step in the wrong direction, and he
| didn't think the people asked it. Aid.
Bradish favored the four-year term, and
didn't see any call for board of public
works. Cole thought that in rapidly
growing city like Minneapolis the re-
| cent arrivals should have choice in
the selection Of aldermen inside of four
| years after coming here. A motion in
from each ward, one to be elected every
two years, and each to hold Office four
years, was finally passed.
| TOUCHED IN A TENDER SPOT.
There was great excitement when the
matter Of aldermanic salaries worked
its way into the discussion. To start
the ball rolling Aid. E. Nj. Johnson
moved to recommend that the salary of
Minneapolis aldermen be $500 per
year after April 1, of the pres
ent year. Then commenced great
discussion. Aid. Downs favored the
motion and thought it was
| the RIGHT tl,jpr A ld johnson cDolya in