The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-02-03
BYRNE CALLS
EXTRA SESSION
FOR FEB. 9TH
Extraordinary Occasion Re-
quirss Amendment,
He Says
m { N BE RS FAVORABLE
Not Only Urge Governor kul
Agree to Confine Efforts
TO the One Sub
jet


Dakota's first etxra session of the leg
islature was officially summoned by
Gov. Frank M. Byrne late today
when, by virtue of the power vest
ed in him as chief executive, the gov
ernor formally called the lawmakers
into extraordinary session to convene
at 10 o'clock a. m. Tuesday, the 9Th
OF February.
The legislature is summoned to
amend the primary law SO as to ad-
vance the date of this years primary
election in order that South Dakota
republicans laay have a full primary
expression of choice Of delegates to
the national republican convention at
Chicago on June 7th. The law fixes
the primary election date for June
9th.
Legislators Urge Ii.
From the tone of the letters receiv-
ed in answer to Gov. Byrne's inquiries
it has beer apparent for several days
that the extra session is, in the judg-
| ment of the members of the legisla-
ture, the proper solution of the pri-
mary tangle. Before acting Gov.
Byrne wrote each member and a
large majority of them urged him
to call the extra session.
A majority of the letters received
! are in effect pledges that no legisla-
ton will be attempted save the nee
essary amendments to the primary
law to make it operative in time for
the national republican convention.
In his call Gov. Byrne declares the
present primary law to be defective
for conditions existing this year, and
proclaims an extraordinary occasion
which demands legislative action.
Same Organization.
Promptly at 10 o'clock Tuesday
morning, February Sth, Speaker
Charles A. Christopherson, of Sioux
Falls, will call the house of repre-
sentatives to order. simultaneously
Lieut.. Gov. Peter Norbeck, of Red
field, will formally W the SEN
ate. The senate will probably imme-
diately repair to the house chamber
where Gov. Byrne will address the
two bodies in joint session on the
defects which he as governor will
urge them to correct.
The organization of the legislature
obtained in the last regular session
continues, as a rule, during extra
sessions.
The Defect.
The defect in the primary law
which makes an extra session neces-
sary is in hat portion OF it which
seek to insure the primary method
of choosing delegates to national con-
ventions against embarrassment in
case the ational covetio of N party
should be callel before the primary
date, or so soon after it that the
operation Of the presidential primary
would be impossible. The law speci-
fes "a date in April in such emer-
gency, but the weakness of this pr
vision is that it Toes not indicate
who shall declare the necessity of the
extra primary, nor does it clothe
anyone with power to demand local
election officials to prepare for such
a primary, and, further, the regis
tration provisions of the law, whic.l
were designed in expectation or q
June primary, were not made adapt
able to an extra primary election
Thus a provision of the law which
was considered as a mino feature
and useful only in case of an alto
gether unlikely emergency, was not
thoroughly worked out by the fran
ers. The fixing of the national con
Vention date the day after the South
Dakota primaries suddenly gave the
emergency provision a position OF
first importance in South Dakota poll.
tics, and under scrutiny it was found
lacking in essential particulars.
The law will be amended to hold
the full primary some time ahead oil
the date fixed by it's present terms
Thus all state, congressional anu
county nominations and convention
delegate electios will be held sim
ultaneously, exactly as would have
been the case had the republican ma
tionai committee set the date for the
national convention later in June.