The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-10-05
WHY NOT READ THE BILLS,

WHY NOT READ THE BILLSf
The Post seriously doubts either the
soundness or the propriety OF Mayor Bra
shears position in virtually denying pub
licity to the character OF bills filed against
the city or the action taken upon them
by the mayor and his finance committee.
| And of course whatever criticism may
naturally and properly attach to the
mayor in the premises must be equally
shared among the Ave aldermen who voted
| to sustain the veto OF Alderman O'Leary's
motion providing for the reading in open
council of all bills and claims against the
city
The Post is impelled TO believe most
grave mistake has been made by the ad-
minlstration in this instance. because the
motion which was vetoed was so plainly
matter OF good business. and OF simple
duty to the public that TO resist It would
inevitably lead to the suspicion that the
administration had something to conceal
from its constituency, the public
True, the mayor Gays that the bills on
ale are subject to the Investigation or
scrutiny OF interested citizens, bu.. II So
what Is the object in resisting their open
reading In council? Few citizens have
q personal interest in going round to the
city Offices and calling for these bills,
while all have a public interest in seeing
what the administration Is doing in the
premises and whether extravaganza oil
economy appears to be the rule Of con
duct.
In order. however, that the mayor may
be heard, even in this connection. here
is his veto in full:
To tho Honorable City Council,
Houston Texas October /, 1901 re-
sroctfully veto the motion passed at the last
session OF the council TO the effect that al
= bills against the city be, In future, road n
open council My reasons are that thi.
course would require about four extra ses
g sions OF the council each month and would
n benefit no one and would cost the city sew
eral thousand dollars per wear for extr'
nav for the aldermen for such succal SeS
n sions. These BILLS should ne omen TO thu
aldermen and o,ter Interested parties whit
desire to inspect them, and. so far ms
is know, one has ever been denied tina
# right. Respectfully submitted
(SiRnod1 S II. DrasheRr, Mayor,
- The ostenslble objection urged IN tn
n veto that to read all these bills woul
= cost thousands OF dollars" for extra SEES
sions certainly can not be sustained TIL
v charter prevents such pay in the frs
place, and there ought to he no necessit
:, for such extra sessions. in the secon
~ place. What's the matter with readln
= these bills at the regular sesdons7 Ar
they so multitudiuous as 10 swamp tn
council? Could not an extra half hou
, or three hours. II necessary be devoted I
~ them? What is the council there for?
:" This Is a matter OF large public inter
est and ought to be given all the publlcit
% that any public business is given. Pul
" LEFTY is the most powerful and salutar
agent for good government and for bus
49, ness caution on the part OF a municipal
~ any other government that can be II
voked. Star chamber proceedings are r,
y" pugnant to the American people.
It makes no difference whether the m
tion for publicity comes from one aide
: man or another fractional difference
W. should not be permitted to stand in Il
way OF an open. candid business admin
~ tration of the citys affairs. It has be-
common rumor OF the streets that extrsy
~ giant prices have been paid by the ci
fer some OF its supplies, notably
drugs, for printing and in other direction
:" and that favoritism rather than busnt
competition controls these purchases.
The Post does not charge that there
any truth In these rumors, for 1t
49,. candid enough to say that it does I
know No publicity Is given to the bl
i, and II Is not possible for the public
know whether extravaganza or hon
-. economy is characterizlng this feature
city government. 1t is for reasons 81
IS these. however, that all bills or olai
~ against the city should be given the
ern most publicity possible
~, 1t would be matter OF good policy
, - do 50. II might deter people from putt
mar up their prices against the city and
.our would be In the nature Of a guaran
aus that the administration had nothing
,yht hide or smother,
In fact, looking at II from the sta
point OF unselfish interest in The pu
alone. and under the theory that the
minlstration is honest and business i
ions II seems to The Post that the mayor
ting his nve followers In the council would
IN only too glad to give the fullest public
ma to this particular feature of their admiI
reed trstion. and thus rebuke. by publis
WHY facts, the exceedingly grave and uneS
an ELEMENTARY rumors that can from time
time be heard on the streets.
vits undsr such cirssmStAness. indeed. q