The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-06-04

tricts, and ut times when no general election is
| held, to avoid . partisan court Should that
court be unable to dispose of its cases with res.
| sonable dispatch. We have authorized the Gener.
| al Assembly to create an Appellate Court, which
| may be held in each county by the Circuit
Judges, without additional compensation, and
with Jurisdiction in such cases may be pre-
scribed BY law. Sach courts are said to be of
great value in Ohie and New York We con-
template continuing the old Circuit Court sys-
TEN. We have. however, authorized the Gener.
al Assembly to provide for electinc not exceeding
four Judges in larger circuit and to assign
| them to duties in its Counties. The advocates
Of this system affirm that it has worked well in
other States, and is an improvement on our pres
| ent system. That it avoids frequent changes of
venue, and the expenses Of parties and witnesses
occasioned thereby. That it secures greater uni.
formity of practice in Circuit Courts, and ena-
bles the people to procure more competent judg.
es and to dispose of their suits with greater
facility. To remove the evil of frequent changes
or the times of holding courts We have provided
that they shall not be altered during the terms
of the Judges, and to prevent the creation of too
many circuits, We have pat restrictions upon the
same. We have provided that County Courts
may have additional jurisdiction conferred by
law, and County Judges, if desirable hereafter,
may be elected in districts composed of two or
more counties, and Probate Courts may be estab-
lished in counties having a population over
$4,000 We have provided for the election of
! States Attorney in each county in lieu of Cir
cult Attorneys. We have established special
System of courts for the county OF Cook which,
it Is confidently expected, will meet her necessi-
ties We have required laws relating to courts
| to be of general and uniform operation; and the
organization, jurisdiction. powers, proceedings
and practice Of all courts Of the same class, 30
far as regulated by law. and the force and effect
&c s,,I,, Z
shall be uniform. We have made it the duty of
| all Judges of Courts of Record to furnish the
General Assembly with defects they may discov-
er in our laws. The performance Of this duty
with fidelity will enable the Legislature to sim.
plify and perfect our Statutes.
| All existing courts are continued until other.
wise provided by law.
ELECTION AND RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE
| We have made our law suffrage conform to
| the Constitution of the United States, and ex-
tended that right to persons informally natural
lied before Courts of Record anterior to January
| 1870: and we have submitted a separate Article
! on minority representation.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
| We have required thorough and efficient
| system of common schools, and that all grants
and donations for common school purposes shall
| be applied to their use with fidelity. We have
|
corporations from donating money or property
to any church. or for any sectarian purpose, or
for any school controlled by any church or sect
and we have prohibited school teachers and
| school officers from being interested in the sale
of books. apparatus and furniture in the schools
| with which they are connected.
REVENUE
| We have retained the valuable features of the
Revenue Article in the Constitution of 1913,
and have provided IN addition that before sales
of real estate for taxes made, return of un.
paid taxes shall be made to some general officer
of the county, for collection, with authority to
sell for default order of Court of Record.
The object being to secure uniformity of sales,
prevent abuses. and to provide general and
| convenient mode by which persons interested
| may obtain information. and pay assessments or
! taxes redeem from tax sales We have for
hidden the General Assembly from dscharging
! any county, city, township or district from its
proportionate share of State taxes end prohibi-
| ted all communications for such taxes; thus Sc.
curing in State taxation equality of burdens for
common benefits and we have repealed the
two.mill tax.
| We have provided that i; portion of IA coun-
| ty is added to another county, its inhabitants
shall be obliged to pay its proportion of the in
debtedness of the county from which it is taken
| We have required that voters on the question of
| removing county seats, shall, next before the
election, reside in the county six months, and in
the election precinct ninety days; and that the
| question of the removal of u county seat shall
| not be oftener submitted than once in ten wears;
and we have submitted separately the question
whether less than three.ffths of the votes cast
shall be sufficient for the removal of a county
seat, when proposed to ne moved farther from
the center of Il county. We have provided that
counties having adopted township organization,
may 10y vote dispense with the same We have
provided that counties not under township or
| ganization may elect board of three County
| Commissioners to manage their county affairs
one OF whom shall be elected every year; and
we have made special provisions for Cook coun-
ty. We have provided for the usual county ofil-
GERS and their compensation. All officers who
are paid by fees are required to make a semi
annual report under cath of their fees and emol-
| unents
CITIES, TOWNS, ETC
In the numerous cities and towns of this state
streets, alleys sidewalks, etc, are indispensable
to their growth aud prosperity. They must be
graded, paved and kept in repair. How this
shall he done, how paid for, what proportions by
the owners of contiguous property, and what by
general contribution, the people of the particu-
lar town or city are better qualified to decide
than others can De. The same system will not
be suited to the wishes or necessities of all places
! Under our present laws streets and sidewalks
are falling into d.u"y, and II radical reform is
| ind -lrn> bile. To remove this evil we have au-
! thoIiz"d 'hc Legislature to vest in each city and
! town tuu power aud control of such Improve
r.rn'-, ."i If the means best adapted to its
.l-n". circumstances and necessities. For all