The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-26

commissioner IN the northern half Of
the state. He served term in the
state senate about ten years ago.
Governor Hoch gave out a formal
statement on Saturday concerning the
special session proposition, and as was
predicted in the State Journal, nipped
the plan in the bud His statement fol-
lows:
Petitions are coming to me request
ing me to convene the legislature in
of considering, first. an anti-pass law.
second, primary election law, third, a
new ballot law. fourth, public service
corporation law.
Section 1O7 of the state constitu-
ton provides that the governor may
on extraordinary occasions convene the
legislature by proclamation in special
session. The supreme court has de-
cided that the governor is the judge as
TO Whether any occasion IS extra Ord1-
nary or not, but a governor should eX-
ercise this discretion only for the grav-
est reasons. ] recall but five extra ses-
sions of the 1egisla ture convened in this
state during my third of a eentury's
residence in It.
In 1874, the grasshopper year, the
legislature was called in extra session
to furnish farmers seed and the people
other relief. A large sum of money
was appropriated for this purpose. but
the act was declared unconstitutional
and the expense of the occasion was
In 1884 the legislature was convened
in live stock interests to stamp out il
possible the foot and mouth disease,
and this session yielded little, if any,
practical results.
In 1886 the legislature was convened
for legislative apportiOnment purposes.
In 1898 the legislature was convened
after the general election, in anticl-
patton of a political change in legisla-
tive membership.
ssIn 1903 the legislature was convened
to give relief to the flood sufferers, but
this is a matter of such recent history
that I need not more than recall it.
All these occasions, with one eXcep-
ton, viii be generally considered as
coming within the constitutional pro
vision of extrap ordinary session. and yet
they yielded no results commensurate
with the seeming importance or the
occasions and are not therefore 1nspir-
ing guides in these matters.
Il recognize the right Of the people
freely to petition the executive in
case Of this kind, but with all due re-
spect to these petitioners cannot see in
any one or in all of these four alleged
reasons a sufficient basis for the exer-
else of this executive function All
these conditions which are set forth
in these four proposed measures are OF
long standing. Other legislatures nave
had ample opportunity to legislate up
on these subjects and within the next
nine months another legislature VIII
have an ODDortunfty to correct what
ever wrongs may exist in reference TO
these matters. AS the servant Of the
people I should not put the state to
useless expense. and as the representa-
tive of the dominant part 1 must pc
Derrnitted to believe that the Repuhu-
can party has in the past year done
more to entitle it to the respect and
oon AdanCe of the people Of the state
+baD hos ever before been done in a sim
liar period Of time. The last legislature
was a most admirable body and reflect
ed great credit upon the state. be-
liava more of its members VIII ne re-
turned to the next house than ever be-
fore In the history Of Kansas ana
think the state can with the utmost
confidence trust the next legislature
fo Give careful consideration 10 these
f0,7r subjects. which are not new, but
arc old. and which the people, having
endured for years, can certainly en-
d71re for a few months longer.
There is to be a very important city
election in Clay Center Tuesday. in
watch a number of state politicians
are taking an active part The flght IS
on the city electric light plant PROPOSE
ton and the question IS whether Inc
CITY shall grant a new franchise to he
nresent owner Mr.. Williamson, or
whether it will put in its own light
plant in connection with the city wa
terworks. There are 1901 people
registered for the election, which IS an
Z
Attorney General Coleman has taken
part in the night, and also +. L. VII
Itams. the retiring secretary OF Gov
ernor Hoch Both of them are attor-
news for the electric light people, ana
are fighting city ownership. The last
issue of the Clay Center Dispatch says:
s'The Dispatch has had occasion TO
! express its regret that Lawyer VIII
iliams should lose sight of his duties as
a citizen because of his anxiety to serve
+ his client Mr.. Williamson. Many of
/ NTr. Williams best friends feel the
same in regard to his Enenviable posi-
ton in this little controversy. Not
+ satisfied with the progress being made
Mr. Williamson has by some means in
duced the other member Of this law
firm, Attorney General Coleman, to
/ come and make speeches and Incl
+ dentallv hand down few legal Opin-
lions Now If Mr. Williams actions
+ are peculiar, what must be said of
+ Mr.. Coleman's2 Ordinarily it would
I be beneath the dignity of the attorney
/ general Of great state like Kansas to
/ engage in a little town fight, but Mr..
4 Coleman in this instance is no ordinary
man.
.sMr. Coleman is paid by the state
+ to attend to the states business. His
duties are so great and so numerous
that the state employs two other law
yers to assist him, and yet he rushss
I back to Clay Center to help defend his
/ client who is trying to impose a fran
4 chise upon the city which a large
I number of her citizens believe to be an
unjust one Is this the duty Of d state