The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-29
COUNCIL ON MONEY
DISCUSSES MAYORS NEGOTIATIONS
 FOR CITY,S NEEDS.
Says City is Not Legally Responsible For His Act in Loan Overtures But Finally Sanctions
 Bargain,

The Council met last night on special call for the purpose Of a re- ceiving and acting on any matters that the Finance Committee might report and the meeting resulted In the devis ing a scheme by which the city can borrow $100,000 to carry on It's business until November 1.
 Tn doing all those thugs the coun- ell in most part denied any legal re- sponsibility on the city resulting from the Mayors negotiations, admitted that he acted in good faith and wound up in an embarrassing position, declared that the bargain was a poor one as viewed from the standpoint Of existing conditions and finally by a vote of 10 to gave him authority to complete any negotiations he had commenced if he felt obligated to do so, and also to go forward and get the $100,00O.
 There were present at the meeting President Gunter. and Aldermen Hinds, ry Virgin. Saul, seiden. Thompson, Toole. Moritz. Lowe and Parrish.
 Two communications were received from the Mayor setting out the fact that acting under authority given him by Council on April goth he had open ed negotiations with A. N, Baldwin. of the First National Bank for the loan to the city of $100,000; that in response to a telegram to Mir. Baldwin while in that he could secure the money for six per cent and one per cent commission and that same was to be deposited in the First National Bank and drawn out as needed and used; that on auth ori- ty of a majority of the finance commit tee assembled in the Mayors office he had telegraphed an acceptance of the proposition and that later the council he had so notified MT. Baldwin. and that the whole thing was therefore off. The communicable from the Mayor included the correspondence covering all fhASa facts and submitted for file.
 The resolution of Alderman Johnson offered at the last meeting of the Coun- ell and favorably reported by Chairman Moritz of the finance committee negotiations for the loan of the s100,- 900 was offered for passage.
 President Gunter offered a substt- ute authorizing the Mayor to borrow sory note to be paid on January 15, 1909, and also to complete any negotia- tions he had commenced with Mir. Baldwin if he so desired, or If he felt under any moral obligations to do SO.
 Both Aldermen Johnson and Ioritz were against any backing up of the Mayors moral obligation. They de- clared that the Mayor had no right under the charter to make any such trade that 1t was a bad bargain and that the Mayor must have known that 1t was not the best that might be done and that. in short. if he was in had l box he must get out the best he could. | They declared that the money could be secured at this time considerably more ] cheaply than at the price agreed on by the Mayor Alderman Moritz declared | that the Mayors action left no legal | obliga ton on tn re city whatever and the l ratification of his act involved a great moral principle that he proposed to | fight for. He declared that the city could not afford to pay for the Mayors errors.
 Alderman Johnson spoke twice against the proposition to leave the Mayor free to purge himself of moral bad faith and finally when the Gun | ter substitute was passed by vote of
 10 to 5 he changed his vote and gave
 notice of a reconsideration.
 Johnson tried to flag down the flee ing members with an ordinance ap. l proprlating $720 to pay-a judgment that | the Supreme Court has just affirmed
 against the city in favor of J. c. Conner | but they had talked money enough fol | one sitting and refused to consider l VaaffAr.