Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-28
THE QUESTION OF AN EXTRA SESSION.

he IS under no oDngatlon TO state MS de-
termination until the exigency arises, it
seems possible that his purpose will re-
main unrevealed for the present. The
programme for compelling him to call an
extra session does not, however, when ex-
amined closely, appear to be so strong as
has been alleged. The main purpose of
the Republicans is to secure the control of
apportionment, and the main purpose of
the Democrats is to defeat that scheme.
But it is the appropriation bill, and not
the apportionment bill, upon which the
stress of the situation rests, and the sue
| cess of those who desire an extra session
for the purpose of apportioning the State
depends altogether upon whether the Gov
ernor will name this among the subjects of
legislation, in case he consents to call an
| extra session.
Should he call an extra session, and
name in it the appropriation bill alone,
the Republican programme would be
beaten. In the absence of any knowledge
as to what measures he will select for action
in an extra session, therefore, it must be
plain that there can be no safety in trust
ing to that If nothing is absolutely neces-
sary but the passage of the appropriation
| bill the Governor might not consider him.
self justified in naming any other measure
in his proclamation. The present DISPOSE
ton on the part Of the Legislature to shift
all the responsibility on to the Executive
is by no means free from danger. The
Executive has at least as good reason as
the Legislature for wishing to limit his
responsibilities, and therefore it would be
perfectly natural if he endeavored, by
restricting the scope of legislative action,
to guard against its undue prolongation.
At this moment we find so many sub
| jects proposed for submission to an extra
session that if they were all included in
the executive proclamation the Legislature
might continue in session until next win.
ter. 1t fact, it is seriously proposed in
several quarters that the whole of the
heavy work which ought to have been
done in the regular session shall be rele-
gated to an extra one. The Governor can
not regard such a prospect without grave
apprehensions. He has the authority to
cali an extra session, and to say what
measures shall be dealt with in it, but
when once the Legislature has reassenbled
he has no power to dismiss it, and should
he give it an excuse for prolonging its sit
tings by naming several measures of i'm
portance it is quite possible that the people
might, however unjustly, hold him re-
sponsible for the heavy expenditures thus
entailed.
Under the circumstances, therefore, it
would seem almost unavoidable for pru-
dent Executive officer, who has no desire
to assume greater responsibility than is alb
solutely necessary, to take whatever pre-
cautions are available against the prolonga-
ton of the extra session, supposing that he
finds it impossible to refuse to call one In
such case he would certainly argue, and
not without force, that the Legislature
itself was wholly accountable for the fail
ure of the appropriation bill, and that he
was not called upon to take on himself any
responsibility for this or any other meas.
IRE If an extra session is necessitated,
he would hold, it is only necessitated by
the failure to provide for the expenses of
the government. No matter how import
ant other measures may be in a political
sense, it is possible to carry on the govern
ment without them for two years longer.
And this view of the situation is the more
likely to recommend itself to the Gov
ernor, seeing that protests are coming
from every part of the State against calling
an extra session at all, and seeing that
there is already manifested disposition to
hold the Governor accountable for what.
ever addition to the taxes is caused in this
way.
Politicians who-are bent upon carrying
out this or that programme will do well to
consider the case dispassionately from
what may be called the Executive stand
point, before they conclude to take all the
risks of an extra session which after all, it
must be remembered, may not be called
The position of the Governor in situation
of this kind is very strong if he chooses
to use his strength. He has it in his power
to defeat all attempts to secure reapportion-
ment, for instance, by declaring in advance
he will not name that measure in his proc
lamation. Should he at this juncture pos
itively assert that if he calls an extra ses-
sion it shall be for the appropriation bill
alone, it is, moreover, quite possible that
he would be supported in this position by
the people at large, though of course he
would not please the politicians. He is,
however, clearly able at this time to com.
mand the situation if he wishes to do so,
and this fact obviously increases his re-
sponsibility, and must in the end strength
en- the disposition to hold him accountable
for what he fails to prevent, as well as for
what he actually does. The occasion is
certainly difficult one, but it is by no means
clear that the Legislature can compel the
Governor to do what either party wants
done, while it is equally plain that he can,
if he will, practically control the issue of
the present embarrassments.
THE FINANCIAL SITUATION.
1t is significant that though the enemies
of the National Banks are endeavoring,