Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-14
TEE extra SESSION.


State treasury, under pretense of look
ing after mining debris" The Bulletin
makes some pretensions towards candor
and enlightenment, but it is safe asser-
ton that no irresponsible cross roads
country paper could have more recklessly
and persistently misrepresented the
debris question than it has done. The
truth is that all the trouble in regard to
that question grew out of the demagogism
of members who chose to imagine that they
were sent to the Legislature as deputies,
and not as representatives, and that they
were bound to vote in accordance with the
ignorant preiudices of their constituents.
Journals like the Bulletin, instead of venti-
lating the question fully, and endeavor-
ing to view it from the broadcast stand
point, preferred to confirm and strengthen
the ignorant prejudice which they found
in existence, and encouraged the public
to believe that the men they had elected
ought not to think for themselves, or to
take advantage of any fresh information
they might obtain upon this or other i'm
portant issues Had these members been
made to understand that the American
system of government is representative
and not deputative, it would have been
impossible for them to shut their eyes to
the facts which were placed before them,
and the attempt to repeal the debris bill
would have been disposed OF in a few
days instead of occupying 80 large pro-
reached was the only one which the
facts of the case justified, but it ought not
| to have been necessary to make fight
over the question at all, and it would not
have been had the journals which are now
bewailing the necessity of an extra session
done their duty.
On one point, however, the Bulletin is
right. It observes that under the new
Constitution the Legislature has it in its
power to force the Governor to call an
extra session at any time, by refusing to
pass the appropriation bill This is true,
and the RECoRD-UNIoN has pointed out
the danger frequently. The way to avoid
it, however, is not by refusing to call extra
sessions when they are rendered absolutely
necessary, but by amending the Constitu-
tion in such manner that the Legislature
will be deprived of this dangerous leverage
upon the Executive. If, for example, an
amendment was adopted to the effect that
the Governor shall at every session, jointly
with the heads OF departments, prepare a
list of necessary appropriations and submit
it to the Legislature soon after the be-
ginning of the session and that if the
Legislature fails to pass such appropriations
I at its regular session, the Governor shall
be empowered to sign this bill, and it shall
then be valid and effective in all respects
as though it had passed the Legislature
it is evident that it would no longer be pos
| sible for the Legislature to force an extra
session, and it is almost certain that it
would never give the Governor an oppor-
tunity to exercise his prerogative. In this
way, or in some such way, the teeth of the
Legislature could be drawn, but SO long as
the Constitution remains unamended there
will be no protection for the people against
such situations as the present.
We presume that the purpose of the
Governor to restrict the work of the extra
session as much as possible may be taken
for granted. 1t is equally certain that the
majority of the Legislature desire to get
through the remaining legislation with as
little delay as may be. The idea that be-
cause the Executive cannot limit the dura-
ton of the extra session, therefore it will
be protracted indefinitely, is unreasonable
Members are not altogether destitute of
commonsense. Most of them have political
aspirations, and do not desire to destroy
their prospects By an audacious disregard
of public opinion. The Governor has, we
believe, no disposition to afford them much
opportunity for lengthy sittings. He is
understood to have resolved that nothing
but absolutely necessary subjects shall be
named in his proclamation, and if he
carries out that resolution he will
name but three questions, namely, appro-
priations, tax levy, and superintendent
The latter measure might perhaps be
omitted without injury to the common
wealth, but party influence appears too
powerful to be resisted, and party infu-
ence demands its consideration at this
time. Even with apportionment to dis
pose of the extra session need not occupy
more than twenty days at the outside,
and possibly it will be concluded in a
shorter period. Seeing that it cannot be
avoided, however, and that it has been
necessitated mainly through ignorance of
the true relations of representatives to
their constituents, the journals which are
responsible largely for the continuance of
this ignorance ought not to seek to
embarrass the situation still farther by
captious criticism and Misrepresentation of