The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-05
GOVERNOR WILL NOT
CALL EXTRA SESSION

Declares That No Good Reason
Exists For the Action.
| st. Paul, March 22.-Governor A.
o. Eberhart this afternoon sent the
following letter to |. A. CasWeII:
Honorable l. A. Casweil, Member
Roosevelt National Committee, St.
Paul, MINI. Dear Sir: Yours of
March 26th, requesting the calling of
an extra session Of the legislature
| received. The question of calling an
extra session of the legislature of
this state has been before the people
in one form or another practically
ever since the adjournment. of the
last regular session and it is a mat
ter of common knowledge every.
where in this state that the senti.
ment is overwhelmingly against the
calling of such extra session. This
know of my own knowledge to be
fact.
It is true that extraordinary condi-
tons may arise which would justify
the governor in calling an extra ses-
sion of the legislature even without
consulting the wishes of the people
but certainly no such conditions
have arisen in this state since the
adjournment of the last regular ses-
sion and must therefore respect
fully decline your request. Very
truly yours, A. o. Eberhart, governor.
st. Paul, March Ex-Governor
Eberhart will not convene the leg
islature in extraordinary session for
the purpose of enacting a direct
preferential primary law, holding
that the people of the state do not
look with favor upon extra sessions.
His refusal to convene the legisla-
ture in special session will be con-
veyed to the signers of the petitions
requesting him to do so, sent to him
Tuesday night by I. A. Caswell of
st. Paul, chairman OF the Roosevelt
state campaign, and George S.
LOTUS, James A. Peterson and Will
liam T. Coe, all of Minneapolis, rep
resenting the La Toilette forces OF
! the state, in a letter to be mailed
today.
No Call For Extra Session.
There was no call for an extraor.
binary session of the legislature"
said the governor last evening over
the telephone, land do not intend
to call one. l am convinced the
people of this state are not in fa-
vor of extra sessions, and are not
willing to bear the burden of the
cost of one. The majority of the
| legislature know do not favor the
plan and would not consent to
pledge themselves as for it. / have
! travelled over the state a great deal
and feel that l am very close to the
people and know their desires. I
feel that / am rejecting public sen.
timent when ! refuse to burden
the state with an extraordinary ses-
sion.
Governor Has Not Seen Measure.
''In the first place, no member Of
the legislature would pledge him.
self to vote for a measure which he
had never seen. If the persons who
are asking for the extra session had
framed up primary bill and mail.
ed copy to every member OF the
! legislature, then it might be feasible
to presume that they would pledge
on tn ematter. AS it is, the pri-
mary bill would meet with the opposi.
! ton that every bill meets with in
the legislature. 1t would please some
and be Objectionable to others.
There is no sure way of telling
whether primary bill would be
passed even if the legislature was
convened.
Was Not Considered Important.
! AT the last session of the legis.
lature the primary was not consid-
cred important enough to receive
any attention. don't think mat
tiers have changed since then.
81 will notify the petitioners for
the special session of my decision to-
day.
!. A. Caswell, whose signature was
appended to one of the petitions,
was very disappointed when told Of
the decision of the governor.
81 do not care to say anything on
the matter" he said, until l have
received the Governors letter. We
will keep up the fight, however, and
attempt to show to Governor Eber-
hart that the people Of the state
want and demand an extraordinary