The Harrison times., 1915-02-20

as did Senators Moore and Futrell
in the Senate,
Unless Gov, HAYS calls an extra
session of the legislature there will
be more unfinished business consist
ing of general legislation left on the
calendar or in committee than at
any previous session for many years,
is the prediction of members of the
present General Assembly,
The fact that any extension OF
time beyond the 60 days provided
for in the l1th amendment to the
State Constitution is absolutely in
the hands of the governor and not
the legislature is, in a way news TO
many members, as the general pub.
lic The general impression has been
that the legislature itself had the
right to extend the session IL days
at half pay. A careful reading OF
the amendment, however shows
that it has 10 suSh tight, When the
GO days are over the pay stops The
legislature might go on working and
the laws would be valid, but the
members would get no pay aud the
average member balks at such ser.
vice He contends that he has con,
tract with the State at SIS per day
and that the State doesn't expect
him to come down here and work
for nothing Consequently unless
the governor calls the extra session
the legislative mill will come to a.
standstill at noon March -. This
means Just - working days from
last Monday, The governor has
not indicated what he will do about
calling the extra session
1t must be remembered that not q
single appropriation bill for the gen.
eral expense Of State institutions has
been considered as yet, except by the
budget committee, and that the
work Of this committee and its rec.
concentrations are subject to reyls.
ion by both houses Moreover it
has heretofore taken full month to
dispose Of all appropriation bills,
Unless the budget committee is sue
ccssGul in eliminating much of the
consideration given those bills here.
toGort By the legislature as a whole,
then it will take the principal time
of the legislature to dispose of the
appropriation bills alone,
ltisnot cSpccted that the appro'
priation bills will be offered TO either
house by the budget committee be.
fore Wednesday or Thursday of this
week Then the work OF cutting,
amending, wcdging in here and
there, will have TO be gone through
with each separate bill,
How 10 wipe out the deficit in the
general revenue fund, stop the ped.
ding of State warrants at big dis.
counts, and provide cash basis Tor
doing the States business from now
on, is still the biggest problem be-
fore the legislature and the one, to
date, at which there has been no at.
tempt at solution, The special com.
mittcc ON ways and means says it is
waiting for the budget committee to
report in order 60 Gud out howmneh
money will be needed for the next
two years, and no general bill for
revenue revision has been introduced
in either house
The situation us admitted by !
many Of the more obscfyant mem
bcrs, has about resolved itself into !
one Of two propositions either hor'
row enough money to pay cll the
present debt OF between half 4 mil !
hon and q million dollars or raise
the tan levy, That one OF these two
measures will have to be fesorted
to is the opinion Of leading members
Of both houses,
The passage Of the Ncrgcr bill for
u Constitutional Convention to be
held Sept Z to adopt new Consti.
tuition has passed the House and
seems certain OF passage IN the SEN
] ate The biggest argument Tor the
measure is the present eongested
condition Of the legislative calendars
under the pressure of locnl bills, and
the physical impossibllily Of attend
| ing to local legislation Nt u dO'dOy
session of the legislature, Also the
absolute necessity for providing con-
additionally for loeu legislation by
counties, The bill provides for one
delegate from each county and lOat.
lurgc, or 81 in oll to he chosen IN an
election called Tor June 80, lOli
only threegeucral bills haycpassyd
both houses and been slgned 10y the
governor, outside Of the per diem
iHY a. .t.s.... H.. .1ltll..l.