The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-03-12
SPECIAL SESSION
HAS ADJOURNED
Did Not Enact Any Chang
es in the Election
Laws.

CHARLESTON, W. Va, March IA
The legislature adjourned last night
sine die after passage Of the appropria.
ton bill covering the expenses of the
special session, which called for an ap.
preparation OF S34,944.09.
The net results Of the days work
included the passage of the bill pro
yiding for the chartering Of corpora.
tons issuing non-par stock in the state
OF West Virginia calculated to bring
$350,000 annually into. the state treas.
ury, the killing of the high cost OF liy.
ing bill. introduced in the senate by
Senator Fred Fox, and the refusal of
either branch of the legislature to con-
slider bills offered TO amend the gen.
eral election laws.
The idea OF passing legislation pro
yiding for the changing OF the regis
tration laws so that women could vote
In the primary, was not received IA
yorably on account Of the complica-
tions that might arise. Bills proyid-
ing for this were introduced in both
houses.
Opinions We're expressed by legisla.
tors tina such Legislation could but
anticipate constitutional amendment
which might not come about.
In case the federal amendment is
ratified by IS states, and proclamation
to that effect is issued by the secre.
tary of state from Washington, there
are two points OF view among legisla.
tors as to what may happen.
One is that the constitution OF the
United States will be construed as an.
nulling all conflicts with the state
laws and state constitution; and the
other is that the state laws and con.
stitution must be changed in the pre-.
scribed manner,
The procedure that will come about
Is predicted by legislators to be as fol.
lows:
Women desiring to vote will appear
before registrars, and upon his refusal
to permit them to vote, will seek man.
damus from the courts, compelling him
to register them or show cause. Then
the latter. will he taken to the Supreme
court of appeals of West Virginia, and
possibly to the Supreme court Of the
United States.
These bodies will eventually decide
just how the state laws and constitu-
ton will be changed to meet the re.
quirements of the Nineteenth tamend-
ment.
Delegate W. S. John gave state;
ment this afternoon regarding this
question, and the matter of ,introduc.
ing such bills in the house Of dele.
gates.
The statement reads:
Il desire to state upon the record
that House Bill No. ID, to effectuate
the Nineteenth amendment to the
United States Constitution In case It
becomes operative by ratification By
36 states, and House Bill No. 15, to
provide for the registration of women
in the same event, and at the time Of
the registration Of male citizens. were
introduced, not because l regard them
as essential to the right of women to
vote in event the Nineteenth amend.
ment is ratified and becomes effective.
but as prudent and precautionary,
measures.
Il introduced them as an officer
OF appropriate legislation relating to
the Nineteenth amendment as that
subject is embraced in the governors
call.
They are offered in the endeayor
to do all that is necessary to make
the Nineteenth amendment effective
without another special session Of
the legislature. trust we shall never
find that such legislation is essential
for that purpose.
1.-THE test votes on House Bill No.
IA, on the motion to dispense with ref.
erence to committee and also to order
tho bill printed, show that it is useless
to press them for passage at this time.
and we could not secure the neces.
sary majority to make them effective
within 80 days If passed"
When the motion for final adjourn
ment was made, Senator Arnold de.
manded the ayes and noes upon the
question, and Senator's GribIle and
Chapman voted against adjournment.
The net results of the special legis.
lativc session were as follows:
Ratification Of the federal suffrage
amendment.
Enactment OF Charleston charter
amcroElent bill relating to paving of
streets andsalleye.
Enactment OF MartinsDtlrg charter
amendment bin relating to paving ard
sewers.
Enactment of Ravenswood inlepend-
cut school district law.
Enactment of law amending cor.
poration statutes by which corpora
tons in West Virginia may issue nom
par stock; estimated to yield add.
tional revenue amounting to $3.50, 900
annually.
the Legislature took affirmative ac-
ton On SIX ofthe seven subjects sub
mitted by Governor Cornwell In his
call, and recommended by him in his
special message. The one subject on
which no legislation was even very