The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-11-17
NUMBER 81.
AN EXTRA SESSION.
The Governor May be Forced to
Call One.
The Efforts Being Made by Speaker
Hanen to Have the Constitutional
Amendments Adopted---No Money
Appropriated for the Publication.

There's going to be an extra ses-
sion of the legislature, SAID prom
inent Republican politician last night.
"And IL is going to assemble before
Christmas, too.
He seemed TO be pretty well inform.
ed in tho matter and insisted that
there was no doubt that the legisla-
ture would be convened early in Dec
ember.
There has beena constant effort
on the part of Speaker Hanen, ever
since the creation of the coDstitu-
tional commission, TO have an extra
session called TO act upon its report,
while the governor has been opposed
to 1t all the time and still is. The
governor was opposed in the first
place to a commission OF the legisla-
ture being appointed by its presiding
officers to tamper with the constitu
ton. His position was that II the
constitution needed amending at all,
IL should be amended by the most
learned constitutional lawyers who
could be found in the State. Recog-
nizing the fact that the proper mater
ial for constitutional commission
was not to be found In the last legis-
lature, he opposed legislative COM
mission. But the commission was
created, Pap Toler, the Kanawha
county coal miner, and other were
appointed and completed revision of
the constitution, which has recently
been made public. And now the
commission, of which Speaker Hanen
was himself a member, Is anxious to
have its work approved, and is en-
deavoring to have special session of
the legislature called.
Governor Atkinson has said all
along that he would not called
special session, and has so far given
no indication that he would change
his mind in regard to the matter
But the speaker OF the house has
made up his mind that there shall be
a special session and has gone to work
TO force the governor to call one
The governor is required by law to
convene. the legislature upon the re-
quest Of three-flfths Of the members
OF that body, and the friends of
fIanen say they have secured the req
uisite number to force the governor
To act.
Upon the other hand, this is con-
sldered by those opposed to the extra
session as bluff To force the govern
or to call one. They say there are
not three-ffths of the members Of
the two houses in favor Of special
session, and the governor is not like
ly to be scared 10y such bluff.
The man who stated so positively
TO The Gazette that there would be
special session seemed sure Of his in
formation, and is in a position where
be- ought to know, SO that in spite Of
the governors opposition there may
be tile.
One of the reasons advanced why
there should be special session
right away is the failure of the last
legislature to provide for the ex-
penses of the penltentiary for the cur
rent year. Appropriations were
made for all Of the salaries, but not
for the general expenses Of the pen
itentiary for the year ending Septem-
Der 80, 1898. For the present year
there are no funds available. and it
is claimed that an immediate appro-
priation is necessary to keep up the
institution. But whether this will
be sufficient to cause the necessary
number to request special session
remains to be seen.
Speaker Hanen is expected here
governor, after which something
more definite may be known.