The Republican journal., 1911-11-16
THE EXTRA SESSION.
The Lewiston Sun Says that Gov. Plaisted's
Reasons for Calling a Special Session
of the Ieuislaf1lre are Mot Sufficient

The Lewiston Sun Says that Gov. Plaisted's
Reasons for Calling Special Session
Of the Legislature are Not Sufficient.
Lewiston Sun, Nov. 7thl
We believe Governor Plaisted's rea-
sons for calling an extra session of
the Legislature are not sufficient.
First, that requirement in the resolve
that the Governor report ''to the Legis-
lature" instead of Ito the next Legisla-
ture," as required by previous amend
ment resolves. If this Legislature had
special reason for wishing to meet in
special session to consider the vote on
the amendment, it should have put into
the resolve specific instruction to the
Governor to call an extra session, or
should have made its adjournment to
suitable date for that purpose.
Nor can it be said that failure to re-
port to the right Legislature will defeat
the election. The election decided that
the Constitution remain unchanged; it
must remain unchanged, and unchange-
able by any failure of the Governor in
the performance of formal duty. The
will of the people is accomplished; the
Legislature can stay at home.
Second, the bad election laws. Now
the election laws were not the issue on
which Governor Plaisted and the Legis-
lature of 1911 were elected. The cleo
ton laws ought not to be changed until
they have been made the issue in State
election campaign. Governor Plaisted
does not know how the people want the
election laws changed; the Legislature
of 1911 doesn't know how the people
want the election laws changed; they
have no right to presume that the
people want the election laws changed
at all because there happened to be irreg-
ularities in close election. Governor
Plaisted ought not to call special ses-
sion of the Legislature to change the
election laws. The Legislature, if called
in special session, ought not to change
the election laws
Third, the cities and the liquor law.
This is only the same old issue in
language varied. 1t is the issue of Con-
stitutional Prohibition. That is the issue
on which the Democrats won in 1910. 1t
was on that issue that Governor Plaisted
and the Legislature of 1911 were elected.
They carried out the mandate of the
people when they passed the resubmis-
their mandate as to prohibition. Before
they do anything more about prohibition
they should go to the people for new
mandate. That is, they should wait and
make that the issue in another State
election.
The resubmission failed. The situa-
ton is now as if there had been no re-
submission. The agitation must be
started new. So far as legislation is
concerned, the present Governor and
Legislature have performed their assign
ment. Before they do any more, let
them go to the people and get elected
again.
Much is said these days about
the people taking the govern
ment in their own hands. We
have initiative and referendum. And
there is the recall. And elaborate
primary election laws. All for more
perfectly getting the say of the people.
But you can't get it that way. The only
way to get the unquestionable express
sion of the will of the people in legisla-
ton is to keep the laws as they are until
the people declare what change they
want in the law by electing a Legisa-
ture on the issue of that particular
change; When the Legislature has made
the change, it should go home and leave
the law as it is till the people elect a new
Legislature on a new ISSUE
Give us government by public opinion.
Let's have no more monkeying with
prohibition till a new Legislature. has
been elected after new prohibition
campaign.
Give US government by public opinion.
Governor Plaisted ought not to call
special session of the Legislature.