The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-05-23
A PECULIAR SITUATION
a Discredit Aimed at the City Attor-
ney-Account Referred to the Finance
Committee of the Council.

!
| Committee of the Council
An incident occurred in the City
Council Tuesday night which may be
listed with the unexpected 1t was over
the consideration of an a.>1 f.nt for
$500 presented by Hon Jol.:: T. Land
attorney, for legal opinion on an ordi-
nance submitted by Councilman Dam
bly, providing authority for the city ir
imposing fines for carrying concealed
weapons and assault and battery,
In urging the payment of this account
Mr.. Dambly stated that he had request
ed an opinion of City Attorney Pleasant,
who had expressed his doubt as to the
legality of the proposed ordinance. Mr..
| Dandy explained that after he had
waited and not heard definitely from
the city attorney, he had obtained the
opinion of Mr.. Land, who had drawn
the ordinance in question
In explanation City Attorney Pleas
ant stated that Mr.. Dandy had re-
quested his opinion on the street,
when he had expressed his doubt, but
he had informed him that he would in
quire into the legal points and at a
later date had told Mr. Dandy that
such an ordinance could be drawn, as he
had discovered decisions by the SUI
preme Court which would give full
force and effect to such an ordinance
He had always been ready to draw up
such an ordinance if it had been desired
by Mr.. Dambly
Alter some discussion the account for
$500 wass referred to the finance COM
mittee
In explanation Mr., Dambly admitted
that he had received the city attorneys
opinion on the day of the Councils
meeting, but he had already had Mr.
Lands opinion.
In the face of such an admission, Mr..
Dambly is clearly at fault Having re-
quested Colonel Peasants opinion, he
should have called on this official for
such opinion before he had engaged an
attorney for doing what the city attor-
ney is expected to do. 1t would seem
that by this rather peculiar action of
Mr.. Dambly. that discredit was inn
piled if not directed at the city attorney.
Had MIR. Dandy applied for such an
opinion in writing or professionally in
stead of casually on public thorough
fare, and the city attorney had declined
or neglected or refused within reas-
enable time to give the information,
then Mr.. Dambly would have been
justified in calling attention to the dere-
hction of this official, but he assumed,
apparently, that such opinion as he de
sired could not be obtained from the
city attorney, and he applied to another
of the legal profession for this advice.
This transaction is purely a personal
affair and as matter of equity and
justice Mr.. Dambly should be directed
to pay Mr. Land for his services.
Why should the finance committee
advise the city to pay this account? No
precedent of this kind should be estab-
lished The office of city attorney was
created for the purpose of advising the
city legally and to protect and defend
the city against all suits. If council
man or the mayor should need advice
the city attorney is to give it. and if he
be incompetent then it is within the
sphere of the Council to remove him
and employ one capable of discharging
such important function.
To the credit of City Attorney Pleas
ant be it said that the city has never
sustained damage or loss by his opln-
ion, fact which will be maintained by
the records.
The only interest which The Caucas-
ian has in this issue is that from every
indication there is a visible discredit
directed at the city attorney. The s-oun-
Gil will treat the people unfairly if they
do not insist on Mr.. Dambly paying Mr..
/ Land. who is entitled to his fee for serv-
ices rendered professionally to an indi-
viidual The city should pay no bills
except those contracted under authority
of the City Council.