The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-04-14

Message, Tells SOlOns Why He OPP
posed Extra Pay-GoyernOr's Veto
| Overriden by Vote of n to s--Ad-
iournment Monday.
1 The cd general assembly Of Ten
nessee was informally brought to a
close Sunday afternoon shortly be-
fore A o'clock, after both houses voted
| to override the governors veto Of
the miscellaneous appropriation bill,
carrying $3.50 extra pay for legis-
lators. Adjournment sine die took
I place noon Monday.
The Sunday session Of the general
assembly was found necessary, due
to the delay of the Senate and House
in passing the general appropriation
measure, the revenue bill and the mis-
cellaneous appropriation measure.
Some questions regarding the le-
4 gality OF enacting laws on the Sab
bath was debated in the conference,
| held at the capitol Saturday, but the
/ general opinion was that such action
would be constitutional, Sunday being
| legislative day.
1 Solons remained in session through
out the greater part Of the day wait
| ing for the return of three important
measures which had been sent the
governor the early morning hours.
Both houses held an all-night session
Saturday in order to clear the cal
endar Of the important bills. 1t was
after A o'clock Sunday morning be-
fore recess was taken by both
houses.
Returning to their seats at IL
Sunday morning, after a strenuous
night session, the lawmakers APP
peared eager to wind up their bust
ness in rush order, but it was 4
o'clock in the afternoon before the
governor returned the bill which had
given them much concern on account
of the extra compensation awarded
each member.
The vetoed measure was first re-
turned to the Senate, where the
governor was overriden in his action
by vote of 81 to s. Not a single
Republican senator supported the
governor in Vetoing the nleasure,while
eight Democrats @pheld him. Sena-
| tors voting to uphold the governor
were: Bryan, Craig, Durham, Graz
ham, Leduke, McGinness, Overton
and Speaker Bond.
After the measure passed over the
governors veto in the Senate it was
returned to the House, where SINH
lar action was taken. Only is rep
resentatiyes were recorded as voting
to sustain the governors veto, while
10 favored overriding the chief ex-
ecutive's action.
House members voting to uphold
the governors veto were, respect
lively: Coleman, Of Marshall; Craw-
ford, Jamison, King, Of Haywood,
and King, Of Putnam; Mcdonald, Me-
Don9ugh, Marshall, Miller, Mitchell,
of Warren Moore, Norton, Robinson,
Snipes, Travis, of Franklin, and
Wright Speaker Todd declined to
vote and asked that he be passed
when the clerk called his name.
"A message frcm Gov Taylor. stat
ing that he objected to the $3.50 ex-
ira compensation to legislators was
attached to the vetoed measure. 1t
read.
'9To the Sixty-Second General As
sembly Of the State of Tennessee:
II herewith return this bill without
nv approval as relates to the item Of
$3.50 extra compensation for each
member Of the legislature.
"Relative to this subject the CON
estitution Of our state Article 2, See
ton 23)provides as follows.
"The sum Of 50 per day and $4 for
every rs miles Of travelling to and
from the seat Of government shall
be allowed to the members of each
general assembly elected after the
ratification of this constitution, as
compensation for their services, but
no member shall be paid for more
than rs days on a regular session or
for more than 20 days on an extra
session or for any day when absent
from his seat in the legislature unless
physically unable to attend
"This language is plain, and my
duty in the light Of such language is
equally plain,
"There is doubtless merit in the
contention that the compensation
allowed is but little more than neces-
sary to meet the daily living expen-
SEES. This condition, however, existed
during the period that such honors
were sought and it can not be said
that any member was mistaken or
mislead as to what his compensation
would be under the law.
"Y0u came here as legislators, and
/ came here as an executive pledged
ard honor bound to stand for econ
omy in the administration Of our gov
eminent and the condition Of the
treasury does not admit OF an adj
ditional draw upon it for $59,400.
"If hardships exist they were inn
posed by the constitution and the re-
lief SOUGHT lies in a change of the
constitution in an orderly and legal
way. ANY evasian Of the constitution
by methods Of indirection establishes
a precedent. the evils Of which are
without limit"
The governor also sent a MESSAGE
to the legislature attached to the /
general appropriation bill, in which |
he declared that he was unable to
carefully consume and study, due to /
the short time left before adjourn |
ment. He said he would be forced to
rely upon the assurance Of the chair
man Of the finance ways ard means |
Continued on Page Eight