Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1920 — "REPUBLICANS PERPLEXED" [ARTICLE]

"REPUBLICANS PERPLEXED"

Under the above heading—•which in plain English means “Up Against It”—the Lafayette Journal, the Republican organ of Tippe- 1 canoe county, says of the proposal to call an extra »session of the legislature to amend the tax and county unit road laws and make provision for other things that are practically imperative because of. the inefficiency of the regular session held in 1919: The Republican state committee 'lias designated May 12-13 as the dates on which the state convention will be held in Indianapolis for the purpose of adoring a platform, selecting delegates and alternate delegates at large to the national convention, presidential electors at large and contingent electors at large, and nominating state candidates.

The meeting of the state committee was also the ‘ occasion for the assembling of State candidates and party workers who engaged in rather lengthy discussion of political conditions in the state and matters that are considered of vital importance from a party standpoint. For some time there has been considerable discussion of a special cession of the legislature and the impression has gone forth that sooner or later Governor Goodrich rwcxuld convene the legislators for the purpse of transacting business that it was thought could not wait until the convening of the regular session next January. Unanimous opposition to such a proceeding was registered by the state committee, however, and the majority of the candidates also expressed opposition to the plan. The responsibility for a special session has been placed squarely up tv Governor Goodrich who must be guided by his own knowledge of existing conditions. If the affairs of the state legitimately necessitate a special session then there can be little doubt but that it will be called, but seemingly there is divi-

sion of opinion on this subject. From a political point of view a special session in a camipaign year is to be. avoided if possible and the longer the call is delayed the more dangerous such a session becomes for the party responsible for it. In this instance if there was assurance that only needful measures and amendments would be dealt with there might be less objection, if the legislature assembled soon. But delay will merely add to any attendant embarrassment Republicans are still shy of special sessions in caimipaign years, recollection of J. Frank Hanly’s experiment in that direction being fresh in their minds.