Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1908 — THE SPECIAL SESSION ADJOURNS SINE DIE [ARTICLE]

THE SPECIAL SESSION ADJOURNS SINE DIE

Held Over An Extra Day Because Representative Knisely Made Charges Against the Governor.

The special session of the state legislature adjourned Wednesday afternoon at 3:13, after having vindicated Governor Hanly from the charge of bribery preferred by Representative Knisely. <» Following the successful vote on the county option proposition, Klns-ly made a sensational charge that Governor Hanly had offered to give him f appointment provided he would vote for the county option bill. He made the charge in £he shape of an affidavit, and some of the most ardent saloon and brewery sympathizers thought they had the governor in a fine trap, and the democratic le"ders were making the very most out of the scandal. But at this juncture Governor Hanly stepped in with a demand that the charges be investigated and a non-partisan committee was appointed to investigate the charges and they brought in a report unanimously

signed, and which completely exonI erated Governor Hanly. The house ! took Knisely mildly to task for havj ing made the affidavit and the session adjourned with a complete failure of the plan of the brewers to make a criminal out of Governor Hanly. The outcome was a victory for the governor in every way, and many who were opposed to the calling of the special session now agree that it was the entirely proper thing to ' do, and Governor Hanly has t’ re credit of it solely to himself. But 1 the loyalty of his party and the 1 heroic determination of the six d m- , ocrats in the house to do the right thing regardless of consequences, I makes the session and its accom- . plishments stand out as a conspicuous argument that the right prevails. Governor Hanly has signed all the bills passed at the legislature except the mining bill which he lias taken under consideration. , -* 1