Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-04-17
COLORADO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AND DOINGS AT THE CAPITAL
Extra Session No, Probable.

Extra Session Not Probable.
The Denver Republican OF April 5th
says:
IAN extra session of the Assembly
will not be called" declared the gov
ernOr yesterday afternoon. with great
| emphasis on the mot" The governor
answered the question for about the
F., one hundredth time. NO one has
asked me TO call an extra session.
There has been no formal complaint
that there is anything wrong. The talk
| OF such a movement II such that II
can be best characterized as gossip.
'As look at the situation there is
no need for an extra session." con-
| tinued the executive, in commenting on
the conditions. 1T seems To me when
a bill comes to me duly signed by the
presiding officer and Others whose sig
natures are required have nothing TO
do in the way OF passing upon the le-
gality OF the question.
There Is no record In any court to
show that bill has been attacked as
Illegal purely on technicalities after IL
has received all the signatures required
by the constitution. on the other hand
the Supreme Court OF the United States
has held that law that has been
passed by both houses OF Congress and
received the signature OF the President
is a law and that It can be attacked
only ON constitutional grounds.
The agitation regarding the general
appropriation bill Is all based upon
tschnicalltles. I have OF course heard
II said that the bill was passed in skel-
eton form. But | do not know that
and the measure has come to me duly
signed and properly drawn up. Ques-
tions OF when or how IL was signed
have not been raised to me ofiieially.
and officially ! know nothing o! the
alleged Irregularities"
Governor Peabody received the en-
crossed bill about . o'clock in the af-
teFnoon from Mr. Stevens. chairman of
the House ensroSsins committee. II
was too late for an inspection by the
executive. and he declined to permit
others TO investigate the contents. He
did not say whether he would sign the
bill. declaring that this was nn action
to be taken after tn. attorney general
had made n report and he himself had
Investigated.
Except the governor and the aitor-
ncy general none will see the eomplet-
ed bill until the executive has attached
his signature. Under the law he can
refuse to sanction any single Item. or
ns many as he desires. To what cx-
tent this power will be exercised the
governor says he cannot determine un-
III he has Scrutinix.d the bill thor
oughly.
The attitude Of the governor iS evil
dcncc that he will sign the bill. He
holds that he can take Il only as II
comes to him. II has been sent to hlr
Office properly drawn up and with nii
OF the signatures In their proper
places. The governor holds the Hkclc-
ton feature OF the objections rs OF no
Importance. because II has been the
custom OF all Legislatures to act In the
same manner ut the end OF the session.
In response to n question regarding
the Clght-hour feature OF the contro-
very, the governor said he had re-
celved no requests OF any kind from
labor leaders. and knew nothing OF any
petition II IL reported has been started
asking for such call. on this point
the governor takcA the position that
IL was the duty OF the Legislature to
PASS nm cight-hour measure In accord
nncc with the constitutional amend
mcnt, aud II iE not his fault that this
action was not taken.
Threats OF questioning the validity
OF the general appropriation bill In the
courts have been made by some per
sons. but the governor answers queries
regarding this with the statement that
Il is n matter for action after some
thing has been done. He says he can
rot see how the situation can change
TO an extent that will make an extra
session necessary.
Many members of the Legislature
called Mt the capitol yesterday. They
were all anxious for n positive dcclara-
tion regarding an extra session. When
informed definitely that there would
not be n call from the governor. they
took Il rs final Most Of them departed
for their homes on the night trnins and
many expressed themselves rs pleased
that there would not be another ses-
sion,
Some OF those who were on the COM
ference committee that finally agreed
on the appropriation bill. called ut the
capitol. After final inspection 1t was
turned over to the governor about
o'clock. These members were positive
in asserting that the bill Is perfectly
good and that II will stand.