The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-03-22

II
Government - Advisor
Lincoln county and Brookhayer
lead the state in the number of meet
tngs that have been called by OF,
ficers and citizens to discuss with tht
people the manner and mode II
which the county's affairs as we'll al
the city government are run, or al
they should be run from the view
point of those participating in open
forum. The Lincoln county Board
of Supervisors led off over a year ago
by general invitation to the people
for mass meeting to discuss finan-
tcial affairs of the county as well as
meeting Of the kind ever called In
the state. The Supervisors followed
1t up with several similar meetings
Next came number of citizens oi
Brookhaven who called mass meet
ing several months ago to delve into
the city's affairs. This meeting was
rather spirited and caustic on occa-
sion and resulted in committee be-
ing appointed to make an audit oi
the city's affairs, as an aftermath tc
an audit that was presented at the
meeting by City Clerk Cameron.
Another meeting to discuss city
affairs was held last Monday night
being called by citizens dissatisfied
with the present administration OF
4 its method of handling the city's af-
fairs.
The arst meeting held was a vic
tory for the administration-so ii
was claimed by adherents to the
present and past administrations OF
the city, while those who called the
meeting were almost as exuberant
over the outcome of the gathering as
those who hadn't.
CHANGES IN OPINION FEW.
This first meeting might have been
called a dog fall. 1t is doubtful
If there were any appreciable num-
Der of citizens who had their views
changed one way or the other. They
have continued pro- or anti-adminis-
tration regardless. About the same
lack of palpable results characteriz-
ed Monday nights meeting, with the
exception of the rehearsal of city
affairs with renewed interest, recall
ing to the minds of many facts and
arguments that have caused a great
deal of discussion since. The gather
ing, which well filled the city hall,
was carried on in good temper, al
though the discussion was very
pointed at times.
Most of the discussion of the meet
ing was between Mayor R. S. Butler
and Hon. H. Cassidy, who took the
leading part in criticizing the actions
and manner in which the admins
tration have been conducting the af-
fairs of the city, although he claim
ed not to be fault-hnding and ex-
pressed his motives as being for the
city's- good. He -cited instances
where acts with reference to money
matters were actually Illegal, but on
account of the usage that has obtain
ed were carried on habitually by the
council and Mayor. No hint or inti-
nation was mades or has ever been
made in the meetings of any misap-
preparation of funds, but Mr.. Casse-
dy dwelt strongly and insisted on
absolute retrenchment in city affairs
with reference to any further issue
of bonds irrespective of present needs
Of the city, other than to pay for
bonds already issued.
This was vigorously opposed by
Mayor r. S. Butler, who cited a
number of things that should such, a
program be carried out would put
the city among the places that are
back numbers. Are we going to
cut out our lights at night, turn out
our street mules, stop our trucks, let
our streets, schools and other abso-
Lutte necessities go and just lay down
and quit?" the Mayor Queried.
SOME RESOLUTIONS THAT WE'RE
NOT INTRODUCED.
An audit read by S. D. McMullen
and acknowledged to be incomplete
and not up to date, charged that the
city was about $3.50 100000 in debt.
This was vehemently denied by the
Mayor who defied any one to show
that the total amount of indebted
ness was more than $4,000 exclus-
i've of bonded Indebtedness, citing
that $4,000 of this amount had
been paid since October /. The May
or also declared that of this $97,700
approximately $4,000 was an a.
mount due for old school and water
and light bonds and interest cou-
pons issued in 1901, for which no
sinking fund had been provided.
Mr.. Cassidy declared that the pres-
sent intention of the city to sell
$125, 900 of its bonds would not be
carried out, adding that this was the
first time in history that such action
had been contemplated without the
people being given a chance to vote
on the propagation. The speaker did
not state why or give any reasons to
verify his statement that the present
issue would not carry out nor to sus-
tain his contention that they would
be given chance to vote their wills
on this same issue. Being interrupts
ed at one time by Mayor Butler, af-
ter he had made number Of state
ments including one that he was go
ing to presently introduce resolu-
tions before the body for passage
and after a short colloquy between
the two, Mr.. Cassidy folded up his
resolutions and replaced them in his
pocket and never at any subsequent
time attempted to have them passed.
ioAvc, f-rnv p10Ts Dim I'M AN TX