The age-herald., 1900-12-15
SOME VERY CAUSTIC REMARKS
The Ban of Secret Session Was Re- moved Yesterday and inc People Now Know the Proceed
 ings of the Board

another lively session of the City Council yesterday afternoon when the matter came up for further consideration on the resolution of Mayor Drennen to vitate the boards former action and the resolution of Alderman Thach to provide a place for MT. Ullman by requesting the Legislature 10 create another membership on the Board of Education, of which MT. Ullman is now president, and from which he has been dropped by the failure of the City Council to re-elect him.
 The meeting further developed the fact that the board will probably stand by it's former action, and from present indications the matter will be dropped.
 The ban of the executive session at which the vacancies on the Board of Ed ucation were filled was raised and the fact disclosed that MT. Parker was elected on the first ballot and that on the second bal lot MT. Steiner received twelve votes Mir Ullman three votes and Alderman Graham who was also placed in nomina ton two votes.
 It will be remembered that the council w called together in special session on Thursday at noon when a consideration of the question was deferred until an evening session when a quorum failed to material ize and the matter was again deferred until yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock.
 After an animated discussion of the sub ject the entire matter, motion, went over to the next regular meeting of the board which will be held Wednesday night. The meeting was called to order at o'clock, the following members answering the roll call: Mayor Drennen, Aldermen Rainbow, Camp, Kerr, McNally, Williams, Altman, Graham, Thach and Harrington. Alderman Altman was recognized and stated that when the board adjourned on Thursday there were certain matters pend ing which he asked to be suspended and moved that the ban be raised from the ex- ecutive session held at the last regular meeting, and that members be allowed to tell what occurred in so far as they them selves or any member of the board was concerned.
 Colonel Altman was interrupted by Alder man Harrington, who stated that in his opinion the board should stand pat on what 1t had done
 Nothing to Be Ashamed Of.
 In support of his motion, Colonel Alt man addressed the meeting and clearly oldlcQ HIS pOSlllOn. lie declared that he had done nothing that he need be ashamed of nor any member of the board The ex- ecutive session had been gone into to trans act city business, and that he for one had no apologies to make for his action; that he believed that the matter should have been considered in executive session, and would vote again to consider such matters in ex ecutive session, but that when he heard men complain that something had been done behind closed doors that would not have been done in the open, he felt that the ban should be raised and every man be given the privilege of stating his own po- sftion without fear or favor.
 In proposing to throw open the doors he stated that he did not declare in so doing that he was opposed to executive sessions. but that he would vote again to consider in executive session such matters as he in his judgment thought should be so con- sidered. On one occasion he said when the board took up a matter in open session that should have been considered behind closed doors men who had no right to know had stood over his shoulders and watched him vote, and that he took particular pains to write his vote plainer than usual and that he then and there determined to vote to consider such matters in executive ses- sion.
 Proceeding Alderman Altman declared that he had perhaps had more experience in municipal matters than some of his fell low Aldermen, stating that besides his four years service as a member of the local board that he had served six years as Mayor of a better if not a bigger town than Birmingham, and that he had found that the public interest was best subserved by the consideration of certain business outside of open sessions.
 Invited Defeat.
 He further declared that he had never sought the position on the board and that he never would, and that he did not pro- pose to be driven to do a thing that he did not think was right. "They can beat me if they want to-" he remarked and I may be inviting defeat now" Continuing he declared that he would never bend his knee or fawn at the feet of any man. nor could a paddock be placed upon his mouth when he desired to speak. He then moved that the brides be taken off the Aldermen, which seconded by Alderman Will jams.
 Alderman Rainbow explained that he was not present at the meeting but would vote for the motion because that he thought that the people should know what was done
 Alderman Kerr was recognized and stated that he objected to such a procedure at Thursday's meeting because some of the members who were in the executive session