Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-10-06
UNNECESSARY TO CURE
REDISTRICTING STATUTE
This Is Opinion Of Attorney
General, in Reply TO
Governor.
DISCUSSES OMITTED COUNTY
Holds Next Regular Session or As
semhly Can Remedy Error ns
tO Madison.

That an opinion given by Attorney
General John r. Saunders YESTERDAY.
in which ne said il Is not necessary
10 call this year AN extra session of
tho Legislature TO correct an error
in the rcdistr!cting bill. will tend in
no way To allay pressure uuon Gov
ernor Trinklc TO call a special scs-
sion to act on "a bond issue for high
way improvements was made clear
last night, when V. y. l.. Robinson.
executive secretary OF the Virginia
Good Roads Association. stated that
there would he no laXity OF effort in
persuading the Governor that the
people of the state are impatiently
awaiting favorable action by the Leg
stature"
The roads question has been up
pcrmost in tho minds Of the people
for months" said Mr Robinson. and
1t Will not down. This matter OF err
ror in the bill redistricting the state
came up but n few weeks ago. long
after the Good Roads Association
and its friends had urged action. and
is but sort OF side issue. from our
viewpoint"
believes Enough Committed
Mr.. Robinson said the association
believes there are enough members
committed To "a special session in
which 20 take action on the roads
question. but that every move is still
being made to SECURE approval Of
such step.
we would like TO have the special
session called At once" he said But.
OF course. II is up to the Governor.
Whether or not it is NECESSARY to
cali special session for a correction
OF the error referred to. we feel
that no time should be lost In action
OH the roads question"
In response 10 a query from Gov
crnor Trinkle, based on n letter from
state Senator y. Il. Early, concerning
the question OF legality of the ap-
portionncnt bill adopted at the last
meeting at the last session of the
General Assembly. which. through an
error. omitted the county of NIadI-
son from any proposed senatorial
district. thus giving that county no
representation In the State Senate,
Attorncy-General John r.. Saunders
yesterday submitted an opinion in
which he states that II is not at all
necessary TO call a special session
of the Legislature to act on the mat
ter. Under numerous precedents any
( subsequent Legislature. he says. Is
! empowered to correct, or 10 enact
new bill of apportionment, and
that such correction or enactment
need not he made in the specific
year referred to in the Constitution.
Ii there be an invalid hill. this cor
rection may bc made by any success
sive Legislature. the people not
necessarily losing the advantage Of
such legislation because of illegal
acts OF preceding Legislature.
Suggests Enrly Action.
The Attorney General suggests a
remedy for bringing the question to
mead at an early date. II court
opinion is TO he asked. lie points
out that as there are several va
cancics in senatorial districts under
the old apport!onment. and that If
special elections are called to MI
these vacancies. then the question
may be taken into the courts for ad-
judica;ion--at a smaller cost than
ihat cntailcd through special ses-
sion OF The Legislature. He believed
the question may he settled through
this medium before tho next cleo
ton OF members of the General AS
sembly.
Director G. II. Morrissett. ot tho
Continued on Page .. Col. I.)