Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-02-05
FACTORS IN THE EXTRA LEGISLATIVE SESSION TALK.


question is whether it will be absolute necessity
If must adjust legislation to changed conditions, cons
tuona and otherwise before the regular session which comes
January then goes without saying the Legislature
will be called in extraordinary session IT, the other
hand it is found that extra session not absolute legal
necessity then would be nexcuabe for the Governor to
infict this large the State That PROPOSE
ton to which the taxpayers of Vermont would unqueston
ably give general consent
One of the chief advanced for extra session
has been that would be necessary provide the legal
chney for the election of United States senators under the
amendment to the national constitution providing for such
elections by direct vote of the people.
By decision of the Senate committee elections the
seventeenth amendment in question is in full effect and
supplemental legislation by State legislatures necessary
the Governor of State having authority to call special
election where machinery for such election exists This
decision brought out in connection with the attempt to
seat Frank P Glass of Alabama who appointed by the
Governor of that State United States senator to succeed the
late Senator tombstone AS result Glass will not repre-
sent Alabama in the Senate appontee.
This being the situation it would be entirely feasible for
Governor Fletcher to call special election of United States
senator in connection with the meetings in 1915
Senator Dnghams term will not expire until March g. 1915
The legal machinery for the nomination of senator pro-
vded by the Legislature 1912 of the Public
This provides that at every biennial election of
State officers next before senatorial election the secretary
of State shall prepare ballots for the preferential nomination
of United States senator to contain the Of all persons
who candidates for senator Any IS to be deemed
candidate request in writing be presented to the
tay of State least thirty days before the of election
"gned by at least 500 voters who certify in such Request
that they voters in this State that he be canddate
The Legislature being required under the amended
stituton to begin its regular session in January further
legislative steps deemed necessary could be taken previous
to the special election the following March and the holding
of the election connection with town meetings would avoid
the expense of separate election
1t has also been urged that the people voted for direct
primaries in the coming March referendum it would be we'll
to have extra session put the system quickly in opera
Tho q is thproO
to be much for argument against the direct primary
This factor like the senatorial election might be
able contributing of extra session. though would
not necessarily mean extra session in and of itself.
So far nominations for State congressional and
ty officers concerned conventions will not be abolished by
vote of the people in March, their vote that time will
merely their wishes to the form of political pr
maries to be used hereafter in Vermont will remain for
the Legislature to pass law embodyng the primary system
demanded by the people, and until the Legislature takes that
step continue to nominate the officers named by
venon petition in the form of nominating papers at
present.
One of the most serious factors situation grows
out of the decision of the United States Supreme Court to the
effect that federal have jurisdiction like that
involving the passenger station improvements at Vergennes
If Congress should take into its head to make postal regu
laton apply still further State connected with in
terstae proposed in Washington there
is telling what would be the status Of public
ice legislation the jurisdiction Of public service
mission and it be to adjust laws to the
situation
Whether judges should be appointed by the Governor
the expiration of their terms December next whether
extra session should be called to provide for their cleo
ton is of the most puzzng questions which is involved
in the legislative problem Through slip the twentysxth
article of amendment adopted in 1870 and providing that he
Judges of the supreme shall be elected bennay and
their of office shall be two years. not changed
conform the date of the beginning of the legislative
session.
The amendment to legislative sessions provides that
The General Assembly shall meet biennialy the first
Wednesday after the first Monday of January beginning in
A. D. 1915" The next regular session of the Vermont
Legislature will therefore begin Wednesday January g. 1915
If the Governor not to appoint judges the
praon of their term next December would be without
Judges until the Legislature meets 1915 II the Governor
appoints the Judges he must appoint for full term, and
owing to hitch in connection with the wording of the
stution to filling vacancies there is question the
exact status of the courts There is question whether
extra session will clear the situation whether
Vermont must await another chance to amend the cosu
ton in 1920.
United a
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