The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-01
TALK Of EXTRA SESSION
Of THE LEGISLATURE.
Governor is Willing To Hear Sugges-
lions.
TWO EXTRA SESSIONS IN 4 YEARS.
Politicians Dubious As To Effect OF
Between-Time Legislatures On
Party's Chances - Amendment
Suit Ready For Trial.

Gossip concerning the suggested eX-
ira Sc 'sion of the Legislature to sub
stitute a more acceptable form of Con
stitutional amendment to limit the
voting franchise aud perhaps to rem
edy the defects in the primary cleo
ton law and to enact uniform gen
eral election law spread to a much
larger circle today. 1t was noticeable
that some who might have been ex-
pected to throw cold water on the
plan showed 10 such disposition.
Governor Warfield said he had not
been directly approached on the sub
ject, although he had heard some
thing of the plan. He stated howev-
er, ,n~, ne had received letter from
a prominent Eastern Shore voter
strongly recommending such course.
The Governor seemed more inclined
TO elicit information than to express
opinions, but it was evident that he
is entirely willing TO listen to sugges-
lions looking to the fulfillment in
frank and fair way of the promises
made in the platform on which he
was elected and on the lines advocated
by him during the campaign of last
year.
There is reason to believe that the
wing OF the party controlled by Sen
ator German, and which dominated
the Legislature in the passage of the
Poe amendment, will not take
the stubborn stand that it did last
winter and contend for the Poe plan
and that only. The opposition to the
amendment which was passed py the
House of Delegates and the Senate
has become so pronounced and the
danger to the Democratic party from
it's being pushed so grave that the
most earnest of its advocates are stag.
gered, and prophecies that they
would simply "stand pat may not
be realized
Among the suggestions made by
more timid Democrats is the question
if the Democratic party can afford to
stand the record of three extra SEES
sions within four years, and two of
these for political purposes. The an
swer made by the more sanguine is
that if the suggested extra session
were called to remedy the grievances
complained of by the opposition, that
opposition could notconsistently com.
plain. AS to expenses, it is said that
all the necessary bills could be prepar
ed and agreed upon between Cover
nor Wartield, Attorney General Bry-
an and the German leaders before
hand, and that the session could be
limited to one week.
The small army of employees Incl
dent to regulBr session would, it is
said, be dispensed with, and Govern
or Wartield might be depended upon
to prevent grating. 1t is also sug-
gestsd that the legal proceedings
about to be instituted to determine
the validity of the Poe amendment
might be permitted to fall into innoc-
nous desuetude or allowed to 90
against the amendment by default.
Attorney General Bryan has com
pleted his answer to Mr. Murray Van
divers bill for maRdamus to compel
Governor Warfeld to proclaim the
Poe amendment and has submitted il
to Mr.. Edgar H. Cans, who will be
associated with him in the case The
bill and answer will not be filed I'M
til tomorrow, and may not be filed
for several days. The actual filing of
the papers will be matter of small
moment, as the date for hearing will
be settled by agreement. and will not
be affected by the filing.
Mr.. Bryan's answer is in the nature
OF demurrer, as it admits all the
facts stated in Mr.. Vandivers petl-
ton, but denies the legal proposition
that the bill proposing the amend
ment is valid without the Governors
signature and the great seal of the
State. A copy of Governor Warfield's
message to the Senate giving his views
on the legality of the amendment will
be filed with the answeras an exhibit