The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-19
SECRETS OF CAUCUS
AID. DIXON SAYS THERE WILL BE
NO MORE OF THEM.
HAS PUT HIMSELF ON RECORD
HE WILL NOT CONSIDER HIMSELF
BOUND TO SECRECY.


Budget for Expenses of 1902 Have
Leaked Out Since the Meeting OF
the Committee of the Whole of the
Council Last Monday Night-Was
Understood, Alderman Dixon Said,
That There Should BE Strict Sc
crecy-InfOrmatiOn Was Not Con-
fined to the Aldermen, However,
and Now Alderman Dixon De-
clares Openly He Will Give the
Snap Away.
The secrets of the City Council have
been leaking out. This, too, despite the
particular stress and especial empha-
sis that has been laid upon the desire
for them to be kept secret. Some OF
the aldermen, those who have shown
a disposition to refrain from talking
about those things that happen in eau
Gus are disposed to protest.
Alderman Dixon is of the number. In
view of the publication by the news
papers of facts and figures that were
supposed to have been secrets, he has
decided that it is absurd to make a
pretense of caucus secrecy. He has
maintained this secrecy, he said. but
the making public of Information up
or matters considered by the board
only in caucus in connection with the
city budget for 1902 has induced him
to decide upon a change of policy.
II shall not again consider myself
bound to secrecy upon matters con-
sidered in caucus" said the alderman.
1T seems useless to attempt to keep
anything among the members of the
board until it is considered fit and
proper to make a public announcement.
At the caucus last Monday night it
was thoroughly understood that MOTH
ing was to be given out about the
budget, pending the final settlement of
the amounts that are to be allowed the
several departments. Despite this un-
derstanding, somebody has been talk
ing, and the result has been that those
things that were to have been secrets
have become common property. 1t is
absurd to keep UP a. pretence of caucus
secrecy. and l shall certainly not OBJ
serve it again. When Council meets
Friday night 1 shall put the aldermen
on notice that / am done with caucus
secrecy"
Alderman Dixon has been opposed to
caucuses ever since he has ben on the
board. He has said repeatedly that
he would prefer that the whole work
of Council should be done in open
meeting, though he has abided by the
custom that was supposed to prevail,
and has not given away Council Sc
crets.
Despite the fact that from some
source figures relative to the budget
have been secured. Alderman Dixon
has adhered to the understanding that
prevailed last Monday, night.
He will continue to do so
so until after tomorrow night, he
said, when he will no longer feel that
he should practically pledge himself
not to talk about caucus happenings.
The figures that have been agreed up
on by the Committee of the Whole are
but tentative, he said and are subject
to change at the next meeting.
Mayor Myers was asked about
budget figures, but he, too. declined
to make any statement about them,
saying that they had not been con-
clusively settled upon and that the
Committee of the Whole might decide
upon changes. After the Committee
of the Whole meeting, Council will go
into open session. when the budget will
be accepted and the tax ordinance will
be adopted.