The Wrangell sentinel., 1951-10-05

when he learned the 1948 results. He decided forthwith to call q special session of the legislature and try and push through his tax program, almost before the Can wasting Board was finished with tallying the votes. Up to that time, the Governor had been hay ing a little trouble with his tax program which ultimately, as it turned out, was destined to make Alaska the highest taxed state or possession under the U. S. flag.
 There was the point that mem bers of the House of Representa- tiYes of the legislature were elect ed, under the Organic Act, for a period of two years. Their term started on the day after they took oath of office, which, invaribly, was the day the biennal session of the legislature convened. The same was true of Senators, though they were elected for four years. It fol- lowed, therefore, that the old leg islative members were in office un- til two years after the day they took the oath of office, which CO., incided with the day previous to the converting of the next regular session, when the new members would be seated. But Ernest could not wait to show how he controlled the 1949 legislature.
 He got the then Attorney Gen 'eral Ralph J. Rivers, brother of the previously referred to Vic, to give an opinion that it would be o. k. to call special session of the legislature 15 days prior to the regular session of the 1949 legis- lature and that the call would go to the newly elected members.
 Ernest went down to Washing ton about that time and Acting Governor Williams brought out the point of legality. The Attorney Generals opinion, however, was, and that's what you go on. that it could be done. But being dumb, we suppose, we milled it over that night.
 Next morning when we arrived at the office the Governors Exc cut.Ys Assistant George Sundborg, now the $12,0O0 manager of the development Board, and Katie AL exander, Secretary to the Governor, were issuing the call. After raising a lICtle of our own brand of hell, everything was called off But, Iater on advice of Attorney General Rivers, we issued the call. The new Legislature met and passed the in- come tax bill.
 In ruling on the income tax law later, District Judge George w. Fol ta said that the special session of the 1949 Legislature was entirely illegal. Meanwhile, the regular ses- sion had passed the act. which was upheld. Under the present regime It isn't always a question of legal lty; too often it is a question of what you can get away with.
 For instance, take House Bill Al, now chapter 133 of the 1851 Session Laws--the Reorganization Act Present Attorney General J. Gerald Williams still holds it is in violation of the Organic Act and therefore illegal, and on other grounds as well. Yet, Ernest has maneuvered Treasurer Henry Ro- den into acting as Commissioner of Finance, and is going to try ana pull 1t through, regardless of the fact that most of the attorneys of the Territory hold it to be entirely without the law. But, as we com mented before, "come the revolu- tlon and you will eat strawberries. ]"
 Something for the new, too
 Space being what it is in this the oldest continuously published newspaper in Alaska, we're forced to knock off before this gets any longer. The old subscribers VIC trust will bear with us, They al ways have. The new, and there are a goodly number since September II, are entitled to look forward to something interesting, too, in the weeks ahead. Even one Congress- man from Texas wants to know the answers. Unless there are more ducks on the flats than we suspect we'll be back at the old stand eoihe neAI frlday. L.W 
 UATnI EOp