The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1916-02-04
The Special Session
Oklahoma City

procedure followed in its passage has
an emergency measure, and the ques-
tion has been referred by Governor
Williams to the attorney general for
advice.
The uncertainty of the emergency
feature is based on the refusal of the
house to repass the emergency clause
after it had concurred in the senate
amendments. The bill originated in
the house and was passed by that body
by unanimous vote and sent to the
senate where it was amended by the
addition of two sections. When the
house concurred in the senate amend
ments and the bill was repassed by a
vote of IS to some one requested that
the vote on the bill be recorded as the
vote on the emergency, but Speaker
McCrory ruled this was unnecessary
as the house already had passed the
emergency. His ruling was appealed
from and sustained by the house.
Mr.. McCrory insists that his ruling
in all former legislatures, and that
there is no question but that the bill
still has an emergency section. Many
recognized parliamentary experts Of
both the house and senate, however,,
disagree with him on the procedure,
and express doubt as to whether the
bill, as finally passed, carries an emer-
gency feature added in regular form.
The emergency section does not
affect the general provision of the bill.
Its only purpose is to make the law
Immediately effective with the APP
proval of the governor. Non-emergency
acts do not become operative until
ninety days after adjournment of the
session at which they we're passed.
The bill as passed carries the much
debated section providing that convic-
tons may be secured under the terms
of the bill upon the uncorroborated
testimony of an accomplice. II also
contains the provision for the removal
from Office of officials who fail to en-.
force the law.
Governor Approves Expense Measures.
Governor Williams approved the fol
lowing measures that were passed by
the legislature in extraordinary ses-
sion:
House Joint Resolution No. 2, by
committee on appropriations. Resolu-
ton making reappropriation of the
/ no tn riat inn q
made by House Bill No. 591, chapter 65,
and House Bill No. ga, chapter 237,
respectively, session laws 1915, for the
payment of per diem of the members,
salaries of officers and employees and
contingent expenses of the eXtraordi-
nary session of the fifth legislature,
and outstanding claims against the reg
ular session. Emergency clause at
tached
Committees substitute fer House
Bill No. II. An act making an appro
priation for the payment of the mileage
and per diem of the members, officers
and employees and contingent expenses
of the extraordinary session.
A petition was received by the SEN
ate from number of people in Semi
mole county urging that in the enact
ment of a usury law it be made to
apply to farm loan companies the same
as to banks.
Would Regulate All Loan Sharks.
A bill designed to regulate interest
charged by loan sharks was introduced
in the senate by Senator W. NJ. Bickel
of Alva.
Governor'o Plan Rejected.
A unanimous adverse report on the
resolution by Senator j. Elmer Thomas
providing for carrying out Governor
Williams yacancy-flling plan in the
legislature has been prepared by the
senate committee on legal advisory.
The governor proposed that where a
vacant seat existed in either house by
reason of death, resignation or change
of residence the county central COM
mittee of the same political faith as the
person whose seat is vacant should So
lect someone for the place, subject to
confirmation and election by the legis-
lature.
This, he urged, could be done under
the constitutional provision making
the senate and house the sole judges of
the qualifications of their members.
The resolution by Senator Thomas
sought to carry out this plan CT filing
the vacancies.
A resolution was introduced in the
senate by Senator o. w. Killam Of Lo-
Gust Grove, asking for statement
from the state board of affairs as to
what expenditures it has made from
the fund Of 100000 appropriated by
the last legislature for the installation
of business enterprises in the peniten-
tiary at McAlester.. 1t also asks the
board to outline its plans for the eX-
penditure from the fund, On request
of Senator NJ. S. Blassingame, senate
democratic caucus chairman, consid-
Grafton of the resolution was postponed
until later
More Money For Rate Gases.
Three new bills in line with sug-
| yaetione in Governor WilliamS' Second