The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-03-15

VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP ELECTIONS.
Several weeks since, the ADVANCE
published an article giving the views Of
some of our attorneys and decision of
the attorney general as to the bearing
of the general election law upon will
age and township elections. The gist
of tile article was that the general
election law did not apply to spring
elections, although blunder was evil
dently made which seemed to. extend
the provisions to spring elections. The
Secretary of State has sent the following
to County Auditors giving opinions of
the Attorney General:
st. Paul, March 7th, 1883.
Hon. II. MattsOn. Secretary. of State.
Sir:-t am in receipt of your CON-
munication of the 9Th inst, in which
you request me to c0nstrue such pOr-
tion OF the new election law touching
the subject Of township elections as l
may deem require explanation in order
to he fully understood and properly
complied with by the public.
The purpose Of your communication
will be more fully met by u concise ex.
position Of \ few Of the moro import:
ant features Of the act in question.
Opinions are already extant from
this office, in subtance as follows:
l. The law of 1857 has no application
whatever to village elections.
2. It has no application to town
township officers; as to the election of
such officers, the registration of voters
provided in Sec. 6, Ch. 4, G. L. 1887, ap.
plies (except in newly organized town
ships); but it is unnecessary for the Judg.
rs of election to make returns to the
County Auditor of the election of
township Offices:
3. In the election of township officers,
all legal voters of the town, irrespect-
i've of the corporate limits of uny vii
laRe, may participate, that Is to say, the
fact tha. i, voter resides in village
does not debar him from participating
in town meetings, nor deprive him If 4
voice in whatever pertains to the affairs
of the township
4. IT. follows from what has just been
said, that an inhabitant Of q village is
eligible to township officers.
| 5. The polling place can be either
within or without 4 village so long as
it 's within tie township, if designated
according to the statute.
| 6 Villages incorporated under the
general laws are not separate election
districts except for the election IF viii
Iage officers. The inhabitants of viii
iages elect their own officers aud man.
age the corporate affairs of the village,
exclusively.
| The township assessor assesses the
property Of the town and village but
the village being a separate road dis
trio raises it's own road tax.
am, very IT tsprctfully.
MOSES f CLAPP,
Attorney General.
THE DEPHNDENT PENSION BILL.
On Thursday last, the Dependent
Pension Bill passed the Senate by Il
vote Of 81 to 16.
The bill grants a pension Of $l2 per
month to all persons Served three
months or more III the military or
naval service IF the United States
during the late war Of the Rebellion,
and who have been hou"rah'y discl'Arg
I'd therefrom, and who are now, or
who may hereafter be, suffering from
mental or physical disability, Lot the
result of their own vicious habits,
which totally incapacitates them for
the performance of manual labor, the
pension to date from the filing of the
application i'll the pension office. If any
invalid pensioner has died, or shall
hereafter die, leaving widow, minor
child or children under eighteen years
of age, or in case there be no widow or
minor child or children. a dependent
mother or father, such widow, minor
child or children, or mother or father,
shall be placed upon the pension roll
at the rate established by law for such,
without regard to the cause of death
OF such pensiOner; provided, that the
c,use of death of such pensiOner was
not and is not due to violation of
civil or military laws, or the results of
vicious habits; and provided further,
that said widow was MARI led to the de.
ceased pensioner prior to the passage
of this act. That the increase of pen.
sions for minor children shall be at the
rate of SIS per mouth instead OF So per
month, as now provided by law, and in
case 4 minor child is insane, idiOtic or
otherwise helpless, the pension shall
continue during the life of said child,
or during the period of such disability.
The fee of claim agents is limited to
$40, and fine not exceeding $500, or
imprisonment at hard labor for not
more than two years, or both, Is the
penalty prescribed for Withholding
from pensioner or claimant the whole
or any part of the pension due.