The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-05-04

There seems to be a wide. division
of opinion as TO ;he wisdom of an cx-
ira session OF the legislature. The
question aroused considerable discus
SIGN az the recent gathering OF Re.
publicans in Burlington following the
introduction OF q resolution asking
the governor TO call q special session
FOR the purpose OF onaoting a direct
primary law in accordance with the
expressed wishes of the people
Such "old liners" as Fuller c. Smith.
Frank c. Williams, Earle Kinsley
and =. W. Clement we're opposed TO
the idea, while other and more pro.
g,essive Republicans like Lieut.. Gov.
+. Z. Howe, W. ]. Bigelow and II. X.
Darling favored II. At recent gath
ering Of the Miidlebu-y board OF
trade there was n unanimous EXPIRES
sion Of opinion agains. the special
session idea. Governor Fletcher him
self hcing present az this meeting.
However. in spite OF this division Of
opinion thee are strong reasons why
a special legislative session should
he called. among them being the
need OF revising tho statutes to con.
form to the revised state consiitu-
ton, the enactment Of direct pri.
mary law and the provision OF
method for olecting supreme and
superior judges to serve during the
interim from Dec. / to Jan. /. In
view of these facts the contention OF
Fuller c. Smith. that the surest way
to defeat the Republican ticket at
the next state election is to have a
special session of the legislature
called seems hardly worthy OF ser
ious consideration. Persistence in
the attitude taken by Mr.. Smith viii
do mere to harm the Republican par
ty in Vermont than z score OF ext,a
sessions Brattleboro Reformer.
Aside from the question OF enac..-
ing a direct primary law which IS
moral issue after tho vote Of the PEG
pie in March, the proposed special
session is a pu-ely business question.
The needed changes of law rendered
Imperative by the changes in the
constitution, provision for q general
Incorporation act and prevention OF
litigation by settling issues by legis-
lation in advance instead OF leaving
score or more questions to be
fought over for years in the cou.ts.
mus be made by some legislature.
As matter of common horse sense
the changes can be made by an ex-
pericnced legislature cheaper and bet
ter than by a new and inexperienced
legislature no matter how good is
intention. Then, too. the present
Legislature has passed through a Ere
OF criticism and knows how it feels.
Because of this lsshing it is more or
less chastened and repentant and
this will be no small factor in keep
ing it from stopping over. We have
talked for years OF the advantage of
having an experienced legislature
but never have had one tried out.
Now the state has a chance and IL
should be given tho test rather than
leaving the work to q new legisla- !
ture full of enthusiasm and inexper-
fence. There may never be another
opportunity to give the sts.e the |
benefit of this lesson. Stlll another !
reason. and a conclusive enc for a
special session, is that there can be |
no election OF a senator in November !
unless some provision is made either |
by state OF federal law 1t would |
be wrong to try to crowd this matter
OF making the proper provision for |
nomination Of candidates, the cam
raign and the election into the short |
space of time between the first Wed |
nesday in January and the fourth of |
March next year II would not be |