Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1896-12-11
ON HIS EAR.
GOV BRADLEY INTIMATEs ry
o"Tlcs MAY EMIeRATE TO
; HADEs.
ne viii Call That Session When Ha a...
Ready and May Never Getfseady-No
senator Can Be Legally Elected
TIL After Mar. 4.

Cincinnati, O. Dec. 9.-In vigo
rous newspaper card Gov. w. o
Bradley, now in this city, discusses
the demand for an extra session Of
the Kentucky Legislation. He emu.
merates the various classes of critics
who are trying to force him to speedy
action as LIST the brokers; End sena.
torial candidates afraid of delay; Bird
Democrats seeking cause for criti-
cism; 4th weak. minded howlers
anxious to see themselves in print.
and 9Th those anxious from patriotic
motives to see Republican senator
elected, but who do not understand
the conditions. He then quotes the
law to show that no senator can be
legally elected until vacancy ac-
tualy occurs and that no vacancy now
exists and that an appointment" can
be made at the proper time. He
closes the interview with this straight
language:
THE Legislature met last January.
1t undertook to perform its duties
under section one, but failed and ad
journed sine die. The instrument
provided by the law to elect before
the vacancy occurred has proven
valueless. Now is there a vacancy
to-days Surely not. Senator Black.
burn is in Washington, performing
the duties of his Office. When will a
vacancy exist? Clearly not until
March next. 1t will be observed that
section two gives the Legislature tho
right to elect, provided there is a va
cancy when it assemblies or a vacancy
occurs after it assemblies. No such
state of affairs now exists. If a
session had been called and Senator
should be chosen prior to March, such
action would be unauthorized and the
Senator elected not entitled to his
seat. And in this connection it is
well enough to bear in mind that the
sessions OF the Legislature in Ken.
lucky are limited to sixty DAYS. The
constitution provides that members
shall be paid SIS per day for each days
attendance on session, togetherwith
mileage, and then inserts the proviso
that no session shall extend beyond
sixty days.
In order to place the title of the
Senator-elect above suspicion, he
should not be elected until after the
vacancy occurs. Therefore session
called after March 4would be in ample
time. 1t must not be forgotten that
in case of vote being taken on the
right of Senator from Kentucky to
take his seat the free. silver Senators
will have majority, and surely no
risks should be run about so impor.
tant matter.
Had session been called for
December it would expire February
l, at which date there would be no
vacancy, and Senator. elect at such
a session would not be allowed ad-
mission. And yet the pothouse poll
ticians, chimuey-corner lawyers and
detestable wiseacres who have been
so clamorous would not hesitate to
condemn the Governor for not know.
ing the constitution and law.
Once tor all, let it be understood
know my duty and will perform it.
do not seek advice from those who
ire not able to give it. There is
ample time to call the session. Those
who are clamorous are simply "gnaw.
ng file" If they would expend
the energy they are directing
coward me in attending to their own
business they would derive greater
profit"