The Lincoln times., 1954-01-14
SITUATION DEVELOPS

didn't like?"
SITUATION DEVELOPS
Subsequently it developed that
the preceding 1851 session had in
"advertently" done away with a
long standing requirement for
open meeting of Board of County
Commissioners. Then it became
known that there has never been
specific statutory guarantee Of
open meetings of school boards.
Seve,al other incidents since the
passage of the 1858 act providing
for secret session of legislative
committees have served to focus
attention on the necessity for the
people asserting their right to
know about public business.
The mayor of Mount Olive de-
clared that petition upon which
the town board based call for
beer-wine election was his per-
sonal property. A court order re-
versed that autocratic attitude
and made the petition public. The
county commissioners Of New
Hanover county and the board of
elections in Guilford county held
closed door meetings for transac-
ton Of important public business
and the people were surprised to
learn they had legal right TO oper-
ate in secrecy.
POWER TO DESTROY
1t is automatic that the power
to tax involves the power to des-
troy" That can mean only that
the legalized authority for secret
meetings of tax levying boards
affords opportunity for a few will
full men to destroy the freedoms
Of the people.
This matter Of closed-door Sec
ret sessions of law-making and
tax-levying boards is developing
into a major issue in the forth
coming political campaign, parti-
cularly with respect to candidates
for the North Carolina General
Assembly.
The North Carolina Press As
Sociation is taking the lead in a
publicity campaign to let the peo-
pie know how candidates stand on
the question, BY authority of the
directors, president Weimer Jones
has written every newspaper edi-
tor and publisher in the State, as
follows:
"A major issue in this years
primary and general elections will
be that of legislative secrecy. What
editorial policy your newspaper
takes on this issue is for you to
decide; what position the voters
take on it is for them to decide.
This letter offers no suggestion
on either.
What it does suggest is that 1t
is part of the reportorial job Of
the States newspapers to see to it
that the issue is brought out into
the open. For if the 1858 secrecy
law is wrong, it is wrong because
it involves a right of the people;
and so the voters are entitled to
an opportunity to pass upon it.
This is to suggest, therefore,
that your newspaper ask each
General Assembly candidate in
your county and Senatorial dis
trict how he stands on legislative
secrecy; and then publish his
answer or his failure to answer if
he refused to commit himself
That will put the issue where it
belongs-squa,ely before the peo-
pie"
DIFFERENT CAMPAIGN
This may bring about a differ
ent kind of campaign. Already
several local candidates have an
nounced they will vigorously fight
the secrecy laws. One or two have
said they expect to work for re-
tenticn Of secrecy in the next
Legislature. The obligation is be-
ing accepted by the newspapers tc
let the voters know how the cans
didates sand on this matter, as
they have in the past sought tt
inform the people of candidates
positions on other public ques.
1 tionS.