Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08
EXTRA SESSION IN DOUBT
WEST VIRGINIA GOVERNOR
MAY CHANGE HIS MIND.
Rehearing by State Supreme Court
on Point Raised Under New
Tax Law.


WHEELING. w. Va. December Z, 1907.
A decision of the supreme court Of West
Virginia, disclosing a glazing weakness
in the new tax laws, served as an admi-
rable excuse for Gov. Dawson to cal: the
legislature together in special session
The governor had long contemplated an
extra session and when no such a court
decision was anticipated hen-e he Iost
no time in following on the heels of the
decision. But a few days ago the cour
decided to grant rehearing of the mat
ter on the administration petition. and
speculation has arisen whether the spe-
cial session is not to go by the board.
If the court should reverse itself and
sustain the administrators contention
that would eliminate the urgency of a
special session. If the governor has
changed his mind about calling the ses-
sion, or has planned to defer 1t. the petit
ton to have The court reopen the tax
case seems to afford ground for the opin-
ion that there has been sudden switch
on the governor part.
The tax case in question came from the
point raised by the Writ county court
that the legal tax limitation did not ap-
ply to district road levies. The admin
istration had endeavored to restrict the
levying bodies to the minimum, but evil
IDENTIFY overlooked the point al issue. Ia
Commit ssioner White declared that the
loopho.e would allow county courts, If s.
disposed. to slap on ABOUT $50, j
taxes next year in excess of the pre-
scribed maxim all of which would be dis
concerning in a campaign year, and he ia
vored the specia. session on the plea tina
correction of the situation would justify
the sessions expense.
Gov. Dawson set January p for the
nnpnfnQ the session and January II for
the special election to choose the late
Senator Talbott's successor, but the gov
ernor did these things through authorize
newspaper interviews. He has no. yet is
sued his official calls, and can abandon
his plans without seriously compicating
affairs.
Consulted Legislators.
Before he specified the dates he con-
suited the majority of the republican
Legislators. He outlined legislation In
general he wanted enacted. Senator Rob-
ert HaZlett and others bucked on some
suggestions, like the state primary bill
and a railroad commission bill for spe-
cial session consideration, and apparent
ly the governor needed the amount of adj
verse sentiment. since he omitted those
two matters.
Gov. Dawson has gone so far that he
cannot retreat with dignity. The special
session lacks only the formal, official no.
tICe, and it is due before many days. The
Writ county tax case is after all only
one of d dozen measures the governor
wants action on, and as he considers the
balance worthy of attention he can give
the solons a busy month or two on the
other questions, even though the su-
preme court reyerses itself in the mean
time. The opinion that no special session
will be he d is based on two more or less
remote propositions, one that the court
Is expected to reverse itself and that the
governor has faltered in his desire to have
some good material for the state cam
paign.
AS things stand now the republicans
have no particular Issue, as compared
with their last campaign. when they
pressed tax reform successfully. The can
d;dates in the field for governor. Swisher
Scherr and Hearne, were not conspicuous
tax reformers.
Then there is monotony about the
tax question which makes further argu-
ment rather tedious. Something more at
tractive and smacking of freshness will
take better, and Gov. Dawson, who keeps
his ear close to the ground, realizes the
need of a few drumheats of progress. 1t
is given out semi-authoritatively that he
wants county option bill for instance
and there may be some significance In
the fact that Swishers campaign platform
annotated the governors expression on
that line.
Wiping Out Fee System.
Gov Dawson also wants county officers
put on a salary basis He knows the
popularity of an administ' alton bill that
will wipe out the fee system. On a pro-
gressive temperance and anti-fee platform
the republicans could stir up campaign
interest in great gobs.
Then the states chief executive wants
the VIGOROUSLY defective new registration
'aw corrected. and he wants the recent
ly enacted election law improved to pro-
vide for party emblems and generally be
an Improvement when the new form of
ballots are submitted to the voters for
the first time.
In the meanwhile the candidates for
county offices in the fifty-five counties are
in a state of coma. Until the special leg
islative session is decided finally one way
or the other and they know alb olutely
what the emoluments of their prospective
Offices are TO be they do not care about
continuing the canvasSeS they began I'M
usually early this yea II hey want to
know whether the same old assortment @
fees is to be paid or whether the plum
trees are to be cut to straight salaries
the amount of which they know not now
Under the new election law passed last
winter party committees must certify to
nominations of de egates to a state CON
vention sixty days before the convention
and thirty days before a national conven-
ton. Usually the primaries and pre-
liminary conventions are held in the
spring months If the special session of
the legislature is protracted one thee