The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-31
is A SURE THING
MORRILL, WEAKENS ON THE CUES
TION OF 4 SPECIAL SESSION.

Its MISREPRESENTATION Question and III
will Not Say Whether lie will or viii
Not Cxn a Special Session of the Legis
lature Until He has Consulted High Ad-
vice and Determined the Real Facts III
the Matt.T-Members are Practically
Unanimous \ for It-win Probably be
Held.
Topeka, Kan, Aug. Soft is probably
a fair statement to say that nine
tenths of the pre- sent Kansas lesisla-
tors are in favor of a special session
of the legislature. in January next
When asked for ST atement of the nee
essity for special :Session, any one of
the gentlemen viii s ay that il is not
a question of opinion Nor of necessity,
but one of constitution. Of course,
when a member Of the Legislature gets
On the high horse Of constitution and
breaches about the mandatory provi-
sioas Of cur organic law, it is ignoble
10 talk of mileage and per diem, but
It may oe suggested with propriety that
special sessions are paid. for just as the
regular ones.
tangle, no one familiar with Kansas
affairs is able to deny.
Very briefly stated, it is this: The
constitution commands that commenc-
ing upon a certain date and every five
years thereafter, the state shall be ap-
portioned into new legislative districts.
When the constitution was adopted the
legislature was meeting every year.
Now, under a constitutional amend
inent, the legislature meets biennially,
and the Ave year appOrtionment per-
Tod falls between two regular sessions.
This happened but once before in the
history of the state, and, then, in 1856,
Governor John 4. Martin called spe-
cial session and the appOriOnment was
made.
The press has generally quoted Gov
ernOr Morrill, as being opposed to a
special session during 1896. The first
GtteranceS made by the governor on
this question We're shortly after the ad-
j0urnment of the regular session in
March last. At that time he stated
that unless he could be shown when the
proper time came that the constitution
commanded this special session he
would not call it. Today he repeated
that statement TO a reporter. with the
added information that he had as yet
received no legal advice upon the mat
ter and had not in any sense decided
what he would do when the time ar
rived
Il can see no good reason why the
people of Kansas should be put To this
great expense said the governor, 4'un-
uess ii is determined to be a cOnstitu-
;ional necessity. a special session of
the legislature in 1896 could appropriate
money, but it would have no power 10
levy taxes, or in any manner provide
public revenue.
IF my Information IS correct the
last legislature consumed the revenues
provided by the tax levy for the two
years and the state treasury could
stand no increased or unusual drafts
upon its funds. However, if it is de-
cided that the constitution demands
this special session, of course the ques-
ton of expense cannot stand in the
way.
There is no hurry about this mat
ter ] shall take advice and high adj
vice when the proper time comes. II
is too grave a question to be tossed
aside in moment. and I am misquoted
when the statement is attributed TO me
that / viii or that | will not. call
session of the legislature in 1896"
Several members Of the legislature
who have been interviewed by the re-
porter take the ground that the gov
ernor's call has nothing to do with the
proposed session of 1896. They assert
that UGH a session is commanded by
the constitution as imperatively as any
of the regular sessions, and that they
propose TO get together whether the
governor issues his call or not. Re
preventative EckStein says any five
members of either body could legally
assemble at the capital and demand a
"call Of the house" Representative
Smith Of Sherman county, informed a
reporter last week that an understand
Ing had been reached between a num-
Der of the members for some such ac-
ton in case the governor should de-
cline to issue his call. In fact, all of
The Populist members of both houses
are insisting that the legislature has a
right to meet independent of any call
A majority of the Republican MEM
bers are in favor of a special session.
Lieutenant Governor TrOutman is look
ed upon as the leader OF the 6 pecal
session Republicans. However, he
does not indulge in any talk about hold
ing session in defiance 10 the COVER
nor. He believes that the s ession IS
constitutional necessity, and thinks the
governor viii so recognize il when he
takes the question up for consideration
and decision.
It IS understood here that Speaker
Lobdell also is in favor of a special
session. His home paper, edited by
MS hrothef, came out last week With
an editorial Endorsement OF the pro-
ject.
The press OF the state has not vet
taken up a discussion of the question in
a general way. Some Of the far west
papers are calling for railroad legisla-
ton; others believe that a special ses-
sion would be warranted to the tangl-
ed up condition Of the assessment and
taxation laws. though by far the great
er number are waiting in patience for
constitutional solution of the problem.