The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-07-11
THE EXTRA SESSION.

There is once again talk of an extra
session. According to report at meet
ing of the heads of departments there
was no agreement among them upon
the point But there is no necessity that
there should be agreement. What have
the heads of departments to do with an
extra session. They may have their
opinions upon it as any ordinary citi-
zen has a right to his opinion, but as to
official opinion, they have none. The
matter is entirely the prerogative of the
Governor or in case of his absence or
disability of the acting governor. The
heads of Departments might be united
either for or against an extra session
and their view need be no more con-
sidered by the Governor than so much
thistledown.
Let us look at the proposal from the
Governors standpoint. The points as
to what has been done and what has
not been done during the session can
be laid aside for the moment and con-
sidered later. AS stated now the Lee
gislature is to have time extended for
a specific purpose, the passage of GER
tain revenue laws and nothing else, and
that on the members of both Houses
making an oral or written promise to
this effect the Governor should agree
to the bargain.
Who ever invented this idea had
very hazy notion of law. 1t is per-
fectly illegal bargain which the Gov
ernor is asked to enter into, and he
would from a legal standpoint be grave
ly to blame were he to enter into it,
knowing ii to be illegal, as he certainly
must do. Then again an illegal bargain
cannot be binding, and the moment the
Governor: entered into it, the Legisla-
ture might shapsits united fingers at
him and tell him what fool he had
made of himself. Certainly under such
circumstances no one would have either
respect or sympathy for the Governor
or the acting. Governor, which ever
it might be who put himself in this
equlvocal position. He could not com
plain because he would have got into |
situation where he could be buncoed. |
as easily as the hayseed that goes I'D
TO New York. and is carried off by the
he is carefully fieeced of every cent he
has, and is lucky if he, gets off with all
his clothes.
The prerogatives of the Governor are
great and like all great things require
to be used honestly and WELL The Gov
ernor cannot make an illegal bargain.
So this side of the question may be re-
garded as settled. If there were to be
an extra session, the Legislature would
be untrammelled. 1t could discuss what
1t pleased, and could pass what laws it
pleased, it might discuss revenue mea-
sures, or it might lay them aside for
another special session. thirty days af-
ter the one they wish to get hold of.
At the rate of 5000 per session of thirty
days there are some of the members
who would be willing to serve their
country indefinitely
But to return to the points mentioned
In the second paragraph. Not only can
no such bargain as is proposed be made,
but the Legislative work or rather
absence of work does not warrant any
extension even with an unfettered Lee
gislature, supposed to have some desire
to do good for the Territory. The mai
GRITTY, and it must be remembered an
overwhelming majority, has been prac-
tically in session for about one hundred
and eighty days, counting the two