Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-12-23
TUESDAY. DECEMBER %, 1890.
a Extra Session.

The Legislature must assemble before
the State debt can be settled. There is no
man and no other set Of men who can Sc
cure compromise or effective understand
ing with the creditors
Everybody desires that the State debt
shall be settled. In the days when the
fight was on between Funders and Read
busters it was saying Of ours-intended
for an argument in favor of settling the
debtin accordancewith theproyisions ofthe
proposition Of 1s79-that the debt of
State had as many lives as a cat, and if not
paid. or properly settled, would show itself
on occasion in the unexpected places.
We might repeat the same argument to-
day. Our debt still reminds us in various
ways that il has not gone out of existence.
II is, on the contrary, ever ready TO make
new effort to secure recognition by the
State-if not in any form which it has here
tofore assumed. certainly in some form.
We take it for granted, therefore, that If
the States creditors shall submit for set
ting the public debt a plan which COM
mends itself to general favor, or even one
which is worthy of being discussed in its
details and passed upon by the Legisla-
ture, nobody will oppose an extra session
of that body. Without the Legislature, as
we have heretofore said. we can consider
no such proposition. We must have that
body to aid us, or rather to make the set
Element, or no settlement can be made.
The Dispatch never advocated that
~ NH ch
resulted in making that instrument pro-
vide only for biennial sessions of the
Legislature. In State as large and popu-
lous as Virginia, and having so many varied
interests, annual sessions are almost sure
to be needed. We venture to say that
there are thousands Of good men and true
in the Commonwealth to-day who not only
favor an extra session of the Legislature
this winter TO settle the State debt. but
would favor such a session upon its merits.
Nevertheless, we do not expect an extra
session 10 be called unless the main pur-
pose of its coll is to consider q scheme for
Kidding the State of her debt-that is, in
its present shape.
As has heretofore been stated in these
columns, and as Mr.. CALDWELL mentioned
last Saturday in his interview with Dis
patch man, the Constitution provides that
an apportionment for senators and men,
bers of the House of Delegates shall be
made in the year 1891, and every tenth
year thereafter. We are ready to perform
that duty. I'VE know what we are but we
know not what we shall be-" We know
that the Democrats have majority in the
General Assembly and could not be Sc
rlously embarrassed 10y the Mahoneites in
the effort to make fair apportionment.
Mr.. CALDWELL was right, too, in saying
that il was the intention of the trainers of
that feature Of the Constitution providing
for reapportionment IN 1891 to have the
new reapportionment made IN time to have
the Legislature Of 1922 elected under it.
There are other good reasons for favor
ing an extra session of the Legislature in
the event that ameritorious proposition to
settle the State debt shall have been pre-
pared and shall be ready for the considera-
ton of that body. We will not mention
these reasons now; but we are confident
that they are known to our readers and
will commend themselves to general &c
ceptance as worthy of being acted upon.
II we postpone reapportionment this
time we pave the way to a like postpone
ment IN 1901. If We postpone efforts to
settle the debt we may pave the way to a
disastrous postponement OF some time in
the not distant future. If we fail to
pocket the favors which the existing
Legislature is ready and willing to bestow
upon us we shall not do justice to our
party-nay, to our children. If we are
wise we shall not trade off bird i'll hand
for two in the bush.