1915-02-01ii

It seems that Hamilton City Council always has at least one problematic local politician, someone who grandstands, interferes with proper procedures and generally acts as though he was performing on stage rather than working for the welfare of the electors.

In 1915, one such Hamilton municipal politician was the loquacious and erratic member of the Board of Control, Thomas S. Morris.

          During the morning of February 1, 1915, Controller Morris provided an example of his typical behavior :

          “Municipal vaudeville – of the continuous sort, staged daily, by Controller Morris – prevented consideration by the board of control today of such important matters as the appointment of an assistant engineer, grants, salary increase and the appointment of a permanent auditor.”¹

                ¹ “Civic Vaudeville in Place of Business : Morris Stages Show Almost Daily Now”

          Hamilton Spectator.     February 1, 1915.

          The agenda was set, the mayor  and the controllers (save one) were present and ready to get to work as the morning session began. However, a certain controller immediately leapt into action:

          “Controller Morris – ‘How are you this morning, Mr. Mayor?’ (Opening overture, ‘How is Everything by You’.)

          “Mayor Walters – ‘All right!’

          “Controller Morris let it be known that by him it was all right too.”¹

                After reading and passing the minutes of the previous meeting, a discussion began with the architect of the proposed hospital on the mountain, when Controller Morris abruptly left the controllers’ room :

“Mr. Morris spies someone he knows in the corridor, dashes out and returns, leading in Chief Engineer Stanley of the Hydro Radial union.

“In order that something may be accomplished during the morning, Mayor Walters suggests that the board meet Mr. Stanley at the Commercial club at noon and that they have luncheon together

“Controller Morris objects. He has probably heard it stated that the Commercial club is not conducted on strictly temperance principles.”¹

Controller Morris insists that the board hear from Mr. Stanley, in camera immediately:

“ ‘We can hear what Mr. Stanley has to say in ten or fifteen minutes,’ he interposes.”¹

Reluctantly agreeing, the board of control banishes reporters from the room, and the conference lasts not ten or fifteen, but twenty-five minutes.

It would be 12 noon when the reporters were back in the room, and discussion began on tenders for oil, but that discussion does not get far:

“Controller Morris is in a hurry to get away and says so to the mayor. He leaves at 12:15, conscious of having done a good day’s work.”¹

Without a full assemblage of every controller, the meeting was then adjourned, leaving the list of important items on the agenda unaddressed, “pushed off into the deep end  by some of Controller Morris’ important items.”¹

Reporters approached Mr. Stanley who revealed that he had been invited by Controller Morris  to discuss the proposed expansion of radial railway service from Niagara Falls, north to Beamsville. Also a survey had been made for a radial railway line from Guelph southwards. It was hoped that the Hamilton municipality would get involved in these projects but Mr. Stanley was reluctant to discuss details:

“He is an extremely modest man and shrinks from newspaper notoriety – he said so himself. Mr. Stanley was one vast area of silence.

“Following the in camera conference with the board of control, Mayor Walters announced that Controller Morris would give out what he saw fit to the reporters present.

“Controller Morris was very communicative indeed. He talked for quite a while, but he didn’t say anything.”¹