Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-10-13
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENr

NOfD a 4 llON III Il " T. y H. ~ + " 4
The proposed amendment to the con-
,iituiion Of Kansas should be adopted
10 the November election. In brief. il
increases the number Of the supreme
judges from three 10 five, increases their
salary from S3.OcO To 5000 and length
ems their terms Of Office from to 10
years.
As now constituted, the supreme
court cannot keep the docket cleared.
Appealed cases must wait two and
three years for disposal 10 be made
Of them. AMI litiglnts are discommOd-
ed thereby.
The salaries now paid the judges of
The supreme court, and all the state
OfIicersof Kansas, are too small. The
best talent at the bar cannot afford to
leave lucrative practice for such COM
pensation as the state now offers. 1t is
demonstrated in every business, trade
and profession that brains will demand
money. There is not a railroad mana.
ger, first class civil engineer, n thor
ough master mechanic, an expert finan-
cier, a mine superintendent, or a col
lege president of any reputation in the
state who does not command more than
$1,000 a year. Then why should not
the best lawyers in the state be secured
for the supreme bench?
The term of office of every Judge
of a court with appellate juris-
diction should be ten years or even dur
ing good behavior. But to put a man
on the bench for so short "A time as six
years and then change him for another.
is TO cut him of in the days of his use
funess.
That our readers may become thor
oughly posted on this important pro
posed amendment, we publish it here
with in full. AS Kansans, we are pro-
gressiye, and we cannot afford to allow
partisan prejudice to control our votes
when the best interests of the state are
involved.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.A.
HousE JOINT RESOLUTION No. I. For the sub
mission OF proposition TO amend the
constitution OF the State OF Kansas.
BE u resolved by the Legislature of the State
OF Kansas, twOthirds of the members cleo
tod To each house thereof concurring there
in:
SECTION l. The following proposition 10
amend the constitution of this state Is here
by submitted TO the qualificd electors of this
state for their approval or rejection, namely
The constitution of the state of Kansas Il
hereby amended by striking out he whole OF
section two, article three, OF the constitution
and amending section thirteen. article tire,
or the constitution, and Inserting I'm lieu OF
said section two. and as amcndatOry TO sale
section thirteen, the following. which shall
constitute section two, of article three, of the
constitution: Section .. The supreme cour
shall consist OF i've Justices. who shall b,
chosen by the electors of the state, three oi
whom shall constitute "A quorum. aud a con
CurrcuCc OF three shall be necessary to ever,
decision Of the court. Provision may be
made hy law for the increase of the number
OF Justices OF the supreme court TO seven
whenever twuthirtis OF tue members OF each
house OF the legislature shall concur when
four Justices shall constii ute quorum. and \
concurrence uf four shall be necessary q
every decision OF the court. The Justice
holding the oldest commission by virtue al
an election. shall bc chief Justice. aud IL
case two or more Justices hold commission
OF the same date, older than the commission
OF any other OF the Justices. they shall dc
tcruinc 10y lot who shall be chief Justice. al
qualified electors of the state. thirty-fiv,
gNAi' ~ N4t anu ~ INV hlAs " uO uhNt ntGn al
United ne attorneys OF the SUI rene court
and no others, shall be eligible TO election al
app -intmcnt TO the Office OF justice of the su
premC court. TIE term OF Office of justfc,
OF the supreme court shall b. ten years, on,
justice To be- elected mt the general election
every two years, whose term OF Office shal
commence on the second Monday of January
neXtaftCr his election. The justices elocte,
at or prior TO the time of the adoption O
Thu amendment shall hold their Offices durinl
the term for which they we're elected. o.
the adoption OF th!s amendment. the two ad
ditiOnul Justices first provided for by thi
amendment shall be appointed by the govern
or. and shan hold their Offices until th,
next general election in eivhtecn hundrc,
and eighty seven. when thcirsuccessors shu
no elected. one to serve until the second Muu
day of January. eighteen hundrcdand ninety
hvc and the other To- servo until the sccDnt
Monday OF January. eighteen hundred aus
nety-seven. Whenever provision shall d,
made by law for the Increase of the number
OF Justices OF the supreme court 20 seven, M
herein provided. such two additional jus ticss
shall be appointed By the governor, AN,
shall hold their offices until the second Mon
day OF January succeeding the general cleo
tiOn next thereafter nc which members of tn,
house Of representatives of the Legislature
shall be elected, Mt which said general cleo
ton their successors shall be Clcc'ed-one 70
the torn OF eight years. and the other 70
the term Otten years. from the second Mon
oay OF January next after their election
aud their successors shall be elected ever
ten years thereafter. The salary of acl
Justice shall be not less than I've thousan,
dollars for euch wear.
SEC. =. This proposition shall be sui
United 10 the electors of this state at tn
general election for the election of repre-
| -cntativcs TO the legislature in the yea
/ A. ID, eighteen hundred aud eighty-six, 10
/ their approval or rejection. Those voting 4
/ favor of this proposition to amend the cor
| stitution shall have written or printed OF
/ their ballots, For the judicial amendmeu
! TO the constitution" Those voting agains
I this proposition TO amend the cOnstitutio
| shall have written or printed on their ballot.
Against the judicial amendment to the con
| stitution." Said ballots shall be received
and said vote shall be taken. counted, car
vnssed, and returned, and returns thereo
made, I'm the same manner aud In all respect
as IL provided by law In cases of the electio
OF representatives in the legislature.
SIC. 2. This resolution shall take effcc
and be I'm force from and after its publication
/ In the statute book.
Approved March q. 1885.
hereby certify thatthe foregoing Is a tr1
aud correct copy OF the original enrolle
| joint resolution now on file in my Office an
that tho same was published i'm Session Law
OF hansas OF lS35, +. II. ALLEN,
Secretary OF State.