Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-12-22
GOVERNOR REFUSES TO
CALL EXTRA SESSION
Says That the Presidential Primary
p Wonld Not Justify the Heavy
EXPENSE.

|
Olympia, Wash, Dec f6.-Gover-
nor Marion E. Hay has declined to
call special session of the legis-
lature for the enactment of a presi-
Dental preference primary bill, and
in formal statement sets forth sew
en- reasons for his action. The lead
ers of the movement for an extra ses-
sion are mostly supporters of Sen
ator LaFollette. The governors OBJ
jections are;
First. The pet TONERS failed to
secure the pledges of majority of
the legislators that they would pass
presidential preference primary law
if given an opportunity, or that they
would confine their deliberations to
that one measure and then adjourn.
Second. A bill providing for the
presidential primary law was pre-
sented to the present legislature at
the regular session and killed in COM
mittee.
Third. The refusal of a majority
of the mem bers of the legislature to
pledge themselves to consider no
measures other than the presidential
primary law means that the whole
field of legislation would be gone
over and the session almost certainly
last the full constitutional limit of 60
days. The pressure of local interests.
as has always been the case, would
result in many appropriations, and
the direct cost of the session would
mount far up into the tens of thou
sands of dollars.
THE state general fund is now
out of debt for the first time since
statehood, and by careful manage
ment can probably be kept so until
the 1911 taxes come in, but special
session would necessitate plunging
that fund back into debt, as a bond
issue would be required to meet the
extraordinary expenses for which no
provision was made in this years tax
levy.
"Fourth-Besides the cost of a
session of the legislature the pro-
posed primary, were it enacted into
law, would cost fully $4,000 to OBJ
crate, and to compensate for all this
great expenditure of taxpayers
money the people of Washington
would gain the privilege of naming
NUT IA delegates to attend a conven-
ton of 1900 or more delegates who
Will choose a presi Dental candidate.
"Fffth-The people can express
their preference for president under
the present system if they will attend
the party caucuses and primaries for
naming delegates to the county and
state conventions.
Stxth-While the sentiment in ia
vor of presidential preference pri-
mary is almost universal, by far the
greatest majority of the people, re-
gardless of party, are strongly OPP
posed to an extraordinary session of
the Legislature, very evidently con-
tent to bear the ills we have than
fly to others we know not of
Il am convinced of this by the al
most unanimous opposition of the city
and county press of the state to a spe-
cial session; by the letters | have re-
ceived from legislators and private
citizens of all walks of life in all
parts of the state, and by the vigor-
Gus statements of recognized progress
sive leaders who have worked for all
the advanced legislation enacted into
law in Washington in recent years.
The opposition is not factional or
partizan, but general 1t is grounded
in a well-founded dread of the ex-
pense, the uncertainty and the dis
turbance of legislative session.
Seventh am convinced that the
chairmen of the county central COM
mittees have no legal power to ap-
point delegates to the state conven-
ton and that they would not do so
had they such power. Consequently
there is no danger of the chairmen
assuming power to name the dele
gates.
For the reasons given, and in the
interest of all the people of this state,
must decline to call an extra session
of the legislature"