The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-06-27
ANOTHER FARCE.

The farcial action of the regulars
in attempting to repass the election
law over the governors veto in the
house on last Saturday will not in any
way affect the standing of that meas
ure in the courts. The action of the
house was wholly illegal and without
the semblancc Of power to correct
any error or lack of validity in the
original passage of the election law,
the veto Of the governor to the con-
trary Notwithstanding.
The original bill was not even in
the possession of the house when this
farcial action was taken. On the con-
trary it was reposing in the archives
of the secretary of states, Office
where it had been formally deposit
ed. The house was wholly without
any power to make any corrections in
the act OF passage of this bill over the
governors veto. The bill had passed
beyond the power Of the house. No
effort was made even to recall the
bill. There is no precedent in con-
gress or any other legislative body
for correcting errors in the enact
ment Of a bill after the bill has pass
ed from the custody of the house and
has been deposited among the acts of
the legislative body.
Again, even supposing tina the
house could pass the measure in the
manner attempted over the COVER
nor's veto, it would have to go again
TO the senate there to be repassed.
The constitution plainly directs or
rather commands that bills vetoed by
the governor shall be transmitted
with the veto message to the house
in which they originated. If passed
over the veto in the house in which
they originated then bills are TO be
transmitted to the other house and
there passed over the governors
veto.
The election law is house bill.
Consequently under the constitution
the honse must be the first body to
repass it over the veto of the COVER
nor. OF course if the action of the
house on Saturday were necessary
all former action by both the house
and senate upon this bill after it's
veto by the governor, is absolutely
null and void Hence assuming the
legality Of tho action of the house in
attempting second" repassage. the
bill must again go to the senate and
there be formally passed over the We
to of the governor. AS the record
now stands, to give effect to the far
cial action Of the house last Satur-
day, the bill must again go to the
senate and take it's regular course.
Even if the house had power on
Saturday to pass this measure in the
manner attempted the record shows
that the. election bill passed over the
governors veto in the senate prior to
its passage over the governors veto
in the house. This is the record if
any weight whatever is to be given
Saturdays proceedings. The bill was
first returned to the senate, although
house hill, in April and there passed
over Hooper's veto. Nearly three
months later it was passed in the
houes, although under the constitu-
ton it should have been first passed
in the body in which it originated.
No advocate of honest elections and
good government should worry over
the farcial proceedings of last Satur-
day. On the contrary they should be
elated. For the attempted repassage
of the election law shows that the
regulars" themselves have no conf
dence in thir cause now pending in
the supreme court. 1t is confess
sion to the court that the very men
who, passed the bill without quorum
realize that their action was illegal
When 1t comes to acting the id
fool the regulars" of Tennessee are
as dependable as Gen. Grant said
the democrats of the nation were in
bic dow opd fipoo