The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-08-08
THREE STRONG POSITIONS,

In the state Senate on thursday
last there was not only shown the
growing bitter feeling between the
Administration Democrats and the
Republicans, but new and more
striking determination than any be-
fore reached was given the clearest
possible expression.
Senator Reyburn, than whom
there are few abler expounders of
our State Constitution, with irresist-
ible logic questioned the right of
Gov. Pattison to call the Legislature
into extraordinary session, for what
has been shown to be at best q po-
litical, and which is the belief of
nearly all is for q partisan purpose.
The constitutional power placed in
the Governor to call an extra session
only contemplates such a call In
case of high public emergency, such
as war or invasion, and it is an abuse
of power to call 1t together to do that
which is as well not done for year
or two. There is no actual need for
a political apportionment. Congress
itself by inaction delayed Congress
sional apportionment for year, the
Census Bureau delayed other appor-
tionments yet another year, and
never in the history of any State has
the duty of making apportionment,
within any single year, been consid-
cred imperative. So that Reyburn's s
position is sound, and the Governor
has exceeded his constitutional pow
er in his call for an extra session,
which little common sense must
have told any one, was useless, after
the failure of an effort running
through five months, to reach any
conclusion by two Houses which are
politically at war with each other.
The second strong point, and the
newest and most direct issue yet
presented, came from Senator Stew
art in reply to Gordon's threat, he
speaking for the Governor, that the
Legislature would be kept in session
until all of the apportionment bills
are passed. Mr.. Stewart regarded
this as a threat from the Admins
tration that it would control legisla-
tive action, and coerce it into COM
pliance with the Executives wishes.
In referring to this remark he said
he regretted that an arbitrary Exec
utive should attempt to take direct
issue with the people. Il will resist, T"
he continued, ANY or all invasions
of the peoples rights, by an arbitra-
ry Executive, who would attempt
under the guise of a great Constitu-
tional protection to coerce this Leg
islature to do what cannot be done" f"
This declaration was applauded to
the echo by the Republicans. SEN
ator Herr, one of the ablest of the
public men of the Senate, said that
''it was the height of folly to contin-
ue a debate that was as futile, as
idle, as inconsequential as winds
that blew over a barren surface.
The Republican Senators will not
recede from their position until the
angel puts one foot upon the land
and one upon the sea and declares
time shall be no more," was his clos
ing peroration, and it provoked ring
ing applause.
The third strong position taken all
along by the Republicans, is that
they have framed their two political
bills in such shape that they are right.
There can be no two ways to the
right in this thing, nor will any COM
promise be right. The law says, and
it SAYS no more, and it says no less,
than "the districts shall be of COM
pact and contiguous territory, as
nearly equal in population as may
be-" The Republican bills fully
comply with this constitutional and
legal mandate all are of COM
pact and contiguous territory
there is no gerrymander. and
they are as nearly equal in popula-
ton as may be-in fact, as can be,
for without dividing counties they
cannot be made as equal by any
other process.
These three points show the Re-
publican position. 1t is impregna-
Bile, and the Republican Senators
and Representatives cannot be driven
from it by either the threats or the
power of an accidental Democratic
House. or by the clustering Of a
bitterly partisan accidental Governor
too young and inexperienced to
see the folly of a purpose which is
already disrupting his own party,
for all of its older heads desire to end
a session which, if it were not SO
painfully expensive to the people,
would be farcical beyond any legis-
lative precedent. The Republicans
haye openly called for adjournment
from the day disagreement was ap-
parent.-Dlauare AMERICAN.