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conclude consideration of Committee Recommendation R&P-1.

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The Chair recognizes Delegate Willoner to present

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the Minority Report and suggests that he come forward .

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DELEGATE WILLONER: Members of the Committee,

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I am presenting the minority report "Freedom of Information",

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and I would like to quote from James Madison to begin that

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report;

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"Knowledge will forever govern ignorance. And

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a people who mean to be their own governors, roust arm

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themselves with the power knowledge gives. A popular

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government without popular information, or the means of

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acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy,

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or perhaps both."

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Our committee had hearings on a problem which

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is the secrecy of governmental proceedings. This body has

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on several occasions addressed itself" to similar proceedings,

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consid eration by the legislature of appointments, and the

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Board of Public Works, and has affirmatively stated that

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secrecy in government sha-1 not be a practice.

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I will not detail the many reasons why this

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provision is proposed because I am sure that you are aware