The Governor, the Corporations, and the Session He Wouldn't Call

"The legislature might enact such legislation as would array the corporations against the republican party," or words to that effect, was one of the expressions used by Governor Ferry at his called cabinet council last week with reference to the necessity of an extra session. There is hardly any danger of the republican party doing any such thing in this state—nor the democratic party, either. Corporation men own and control most of the leading newspapers of both parties which are supposed to reflect public sentiment in Washington. Corporations built up the country in a great measure and give employment to thousands of men of all political parties. They are entitled to receive as much protection as the day-laborer—no more, nor less—and the governor ought to think of something besides corporations in discussing such a question. He referred to the fact that if an extra session was called the veto measures of the acting governor must necessarily come before the legislature as the constitution provides, and this, perhaps, would lead to legislation which he might be compelled not to approve himself. In referring to the present clamor for the lowering of the lumber rates, he seemed fearful that the legislature might enact such measures that would not be public policy to approve of—in fact that the legislature might go too far. There appeared to be a tender solicitude for corporations that must have been astonishing to some of his coadjutors. The cabinet council was by no means unanimous on the question that an extra session should not be called. State Auditor Reed and Land Commissioner Forrest are said to have stood up manfully for the necessity of such a session. Secretary Weir, who had previously told many friends that he certainly thought there was need for such a session, it appears did not see that the emergency was so strong after he had listened to the pleasant sophistries of the chief executive. Commissioner of Education Bryan said that while there was no emergency existing in his department calling for such a session, which may be quite true, he nevertheless had nothing to interpose against it, while the state treasurer, who had always looked upon it as a matter of doubtful expediency, did not care particularly either way.

The truth of the matter is, that the state auditor, the state land commissioner and the attorney general all see the necessity of an extra session, because matters over which they have control are in a tangled condition, and must necessarily remain so to the great detriment of the state and thousands of creditors. The make-shift of "certificates of indebtedness" in some instances, and the stoppage of public works all over the state in these hard times, is not a pleasant thing even for the republican party to contemplate. If it is the determination of the governor to refuse to call an extra session, the army of creditors, those thrown out of employment, and those who are groping in the dark for lucid explanations of some of the laws passed at the last session of the legislature ought to know it, to say nothing of those who howled long and loudly for an extra session relative to Laughton's vetoes. Under which King, Bezonian?