The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-10-11
THURSDAY. OCTOBER IL, 1900
THE EXTRA SESSION.


THE EXTRA SESSION.
Quoting recent editorial from our
columns, in which allusion was made
to a pledge of the Norfolk Conven'
ton not to burden the people of the
State with an extra session of the
Legislature, the conservative Rich
mond Times on yesterday made this
comment:
Let Us be fair. esteemed con-
temporary. We think that the
editor Of the Lynchburg News
has made IL quite clear that
the Norfolk convention did not
meAn:to pledge the party not 70
call an extra session.
The Free Lance most willingly &C.
cords q spirit of fairness to its valued
Richmond contemporary; it holds the
Petersburg Index-Appeal in like es-
TEEN, and, knowing Senator Carter
Glass OF the Lynchburg News, we
cheerfully accord to him similar
desire of purpose, though we may
think at times that his zeal and con-
victions run away with his judgment.
Let US review the case and see
whether The Free Lance has arrived
at a fair conclusion or not.
In the Times Of the 9th appeared
this editorial from the Petersburg
Index Appeal:
II seems TO us that the Rich
moud Times makes q strong
point against calling an extra
session Of the present Legisla'
ture TO make provision for the
convention TO revise the Con-
stitution when IL quotes res0-
luton by the Norfolk Oonven'
ton last May, pledging the
Democratic party OF the State
to see that "the expenses in
cident to a constitutional con-
yention shall be kept down to
the lowest possible figure. "
The Times further quotes an
editorial comment Of the Dis.
patch on this pledge. 20 wit;
1.-THE meaning In this is that
an extra session Of the Legis-
lature will not be called unless
the necessities of the situation
positively demand It," Ac.
oepting this Interpretation. The
Times says that lit devolyes
upon the party managers to
show that there is some neces'
sity which did not exist in May
for calling the Legislature TO-
gether in extra session. We
are inclined to 60 further than
The Times. and say that we
do not believe that the party
managers can show the exis'
teace Of such necessity.
In commenting upon this the
Times very nicely diselaims holding
the opinion.that the session should. not
be held, and uses very goodsargument
from its viewpoint why it should, but
that is neither here. nor there in the
question at issue. The Times in the
same editorial winds up with the fol-
lowing:
49,, But if the Norfolk Conven.
ton pledged the Democratic
party not to hold an extra ses.
sion OF the Legislature. that
promise should be kept. We do
not know what was meant by
the promise that "the expen-
ses incident to the Convention
should be kept down to the
lowest possible figure" but
the Richmond Dispatch evi.
IDENTIFY understood IL to mean
that no extra session would be
called. and so stated in its
editorial columns on the day
after the Convention in Nor
folk adjourned. On the other
hand we have been informed
by gentlemen who were at the
Convention that it was clearly
understood among the delegates
that an extra session would be
called and that the opponents
of the Convention, after
they found that they had
been defeated, agreed 10 1t.
We confess 10 some surprise.
however, that after calling
public attention to the resolu-
fion adopted and 80 the inter.
probation Of it by the Rich
mond Dispatch, neither the
Dispatch nor any Of the party
leaders has offered a word OF
explanation.
(Bear in mind that the RichmOn d
Dispatch is recognized by not few
to be the spokesman for the DEM
ocratic party of the State.)
The Lynchburg News of Sunday
last contained the editorial which the
Times on yesterday referred to as
denying that any pledge had been
made. Its language follows;
as a matter Of fact, the
Norfolk convention did moth.
ing of the kind. There can be
no dispute about what occurred
at Norfolk. In the Committee
on Resolutions Senator Nun.
ford, Of Richmond, offered q
resolution pledging the party
against an extra session Of the
General Assembly, saying.
rather brusqnely for him, that
the people of Richmond did
not want the present
Legislature back there. This
remark was resented with
some asperity by member OF
the committee from the South
west, and as q result Of the
discussion, Mr.. Munford's res.
olution was so badly riddled
that he Withdrew it and fell
back on a resolution pledging
the party 10 ''keep down the
expenses Of constitutional
convention to the lowest posi-
BILE figure. This was readily
aonanfad by those who had