San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-17
THAT ONE-HOUR SESSION

W HSNAANi t'a1 L NnoS IL Ioldl-lN
be praised or condemned for adjourning
the special session without transacting
any business is like nearly all political
questions in that too many people will
try to answer it from a partisan stand
point. 1t is like many another political
question in that it may not be answered
from that standpoint.
A conclusion fair to all concerned in
this tiff between the governor and the
legislators can hardly be obvious to the
unbiased, because different tales have
been told about the attitude of the law
makers. But though the stories are not
the same, they do not necessarily con-
flict with each other; one legislator may
have his own notion as to the propriety
of given action, while another will
have an altogether different idea. Yet
they may act IN perfect accord so far
as concrete results are concerned.
Hence, before either praising or con-
demning the Thirty-eighth Texas Legis-
lature for adjourning an hour after having
been convened in special session by Cow
ernor Neff, one would have to know the
answer to this question:
Did majority of the legislators vote
10 adjourn because the governor had
beat them out of" the extra mileage
allowance they would have received if
the special session had been convened a
fun day after the close of the regular
session, instead of just % hours after
ward; or does their action signify
resolute resistance to the governor
legislative program?
If the members of the Senate and
House adjourned as measure Of retalia-
don for having been "beat out of the
extra mileage allowance, they deserve
nothing but censure. One member OF
the lower chamber delivered a speech
just before the close of the regular ses-
Sion IN which he severely criticised the
governor on the mileage score. From
that speech the people of Texas may
have gained the impression that the en-.
tire Legislature was "sorc" about the
mileage matter and adjourned to gel
even with the governor.
But there is no assurance that this
member expressed the entire Legisla
lures sentiments, or that he divulged thu
majoritys principal reason for refusing
10 remain at work. If his reason fo
favoring immediate adjournment wa
also the majority's, then Governor Nef
might justly be credited with a NOV,
toward economy although the measure
which he urged the Legislature to en-
act would cost the Taxpayers far NOR
money than the amount saved in tn
mileage item.
If. on the other hand the legislator
took their anomalous action simply be
cause they were determined not 10 b
ruled by the states chief executive, an
had made up their minds not to pas
any more laws imposing additional ia
burdens upon the people, they deserv
to be upheld by every voter IN the stat
The real test will come when III
next special session shall have convene,
What will be the lawmakers attitud
then toward the governors legislatiy
program? If they eventually enact ii
laws he demands, then they might ;
we'll have remained in session until a
pending matters had been disposed Of.
In any case, the mileage allowanC
which they will get on account OF Il
Bext special session will have to
earned. But if the legislators had d
sired to give the people the rlaximu
service at the minimum expense The