, 1889-07-25

Ing out all of the section so as to leave
the section read, "The legislature shall
establish system of county govern
ment which shall be uniform through,
out The state, and by general LAWS is,inm sma,I
This would strike out all the provisions
for the electors of any county having n
voice in such establishments. Mr..
Browne explained his object to be to
leave the matter wholly In the hands OF
the legislature instead of having, the
voters In any county having anything
TO say about 1t. He desired to have
uniform system throughout the state,
and looked to the legislature to establish
it by providing for township. system;
Mr.. Reed of Olympia, preferred the
township system wherever .practicabie,
but he thought it would involve the
state in complications wherever town.
ship lay partly in one and partly in an
MIR. Browne said the general law
enacted by the Legislature would pro-
vide for all that. 80,
Mr.. Sturdevant was familiar with the
township system of Wisconsin, aud SAID
that IL was not necessarily u township OF
land but was political designation Tor
subdivisions made by the county COM
missioners. He favored this system.
Mr.. Goldman favored the section as
tilt i'IcA'S' ''
gave the legislature power to enact
A GENERAL LAW.
under which the people could DO come.
thing If they wanted to do IT, but were
not compelled 20 do it unless they did
want to.
Mr.. stiles, answering the argument
of Mr.. Moore on the amendment said II
this amendment was adopted there
would either he no township govern
mcnts for a long while or else there
would be townships which would be OPP
pressive. The committees report
was step in the line of self govern
mcnt.
Mr.. Brownies amendment failed, and
the section WAS adopted.
Section authorizes the legislature to
provide boards ofcounty oommis ssioncrs
sheritls, clerks, treasurers, prosecuting
attorneys, and such other officers as tue
pubic convenience shall require, to reg
tllatc compensation and prescribcs the
duties of such officers.
Mr.. Stiles moved verbal correction
before the debate opened
Mr.. Eldredge asked for information re.
garding the duties and compensation OF
county clerks, and MIR. stiles promptly
furnished il.
Mr. Berry moved 10 include register
of deeds" and Mr.. Sudksdorf moved to
substitute by using the words recorder
of deeds and auditor
Mr. Grittts hoped that neither would
prevail The section provides for Ger
tain officers who are admitted TO ID
necessary for county government, and
then authorizes the legislature TO pro
vide az many more as are necessary from
time to time. To make these amend
ments would be TO compel all counties
large or small, to provide all the Officers
named, whether they needed them oi
not.
Mr.. Browne said that without this
last named amendment the county clerk
would have the duties and salaries OF ie'
corder and auditor, and several more oi
ficcs and salaries, which would give HIN
a gIeater salary than all the supreme
bench.
The chair asked for information as tC
whether the county clerk would be the
recorder and auditor.
Mr.. Browne said the, object OF ths
amendment was to be sure that no sucf
result could be attained, to
PREVENT LOT OF LOBBYING,
to prevent the legislature from appoint
ing other officers +han those named, anc
to prevent schcniing on the part o.
county clerks who would be getting enor
nous salaries for a multiplicity o
Offices.
Mr.. Cosgrove said the last argument
was partly right and partly wrong. The
county clerk would do the duties and re
coive the emoluments of several oihce:
and get a large income in some counties
but in the small counties he couldn't
make his board. He suggested classi
tication of the counties with salaries II
proportion 10 the work, but had not con
sidered the matter sufficiently TO oiiei
AN amendment.
Mr.. Bowen hailed from one of the
smallest counties in the territory and h,
knew that unless several of these Office:
could be held by one person there would
be no possibility of getting the duties o
the offices performed by anybody. A'
to the immense salaries, the Legislature
has power to regulate the salaries
Mr.. Convey favored the amendment,
provided there should be furthe'
amendment authorizing the Legislature
| to consolidate these offices III certain
counties.
Mr.. Goldman, id the legislature would
have power under lhis very section, al
the committee reported it, to provide
Just what the speaker wanted. Its hands
would be left perfectly free to deal witt
the subject.
| Mr.. kinnear thought the section coulc
not be bettered by any amendment ano
that it made all needful provision fo
whatever county officers we're desirable
Mr.. Stiles thought it was no
the province of the coun
Ity commissioners to provide
for any more officers than these named
| If'thcy are to be elected this fall, thei
the schedule committee will provide TO
them, If not, then the legislature will, II
its first session, classify the counties ant
provide the officers, salaries, etc., n
may be deemed needful.
Mr.. Reed Of Olympia, opposed TIN
amendment.
Then both amendment and substitute
were hopelessly lost.
MIR. Dickey moved to amend by add
ing superintendent of schools" bu
this amendment suffered promp
wreck.
Mr.. Dyer asked if municipal election
had been provided for sufficiently.
Mr.. Stiles said that the matter wa
treated later ON in the report. The sec
ton was then adopted.
SIC. q allows the county commission
ers TO ill all vacancies in county Offices
Mr.. Reed asked if this would includ
vacancies in the office of superior judge
Mr.. Stiles said the judicial articl
specially provided for vacancies in th
superior judgeships.
MIR. Convey moved to amend so tina
the county commissioners could only I'll
vacancies until the legislature met O
the vacancies were otherwise filled b.
law, and argued that township trustee
ought to control their own appoint
mcnts. Lost without further debate
and then the section was adopted.
SIC. says: mo county officer shal
be eligible TO hold his Office for NOR
than two terms In succession
Mr.. Sudksdorf moved to strike out tn
section. Lost.
Mr.. Convey moved to amend by re
stricting this provision TO sheriiis AN
treasurers. i.ost-ayes 80, noes 80.
MIR. Goldman renewed the question c
whether a superior court judge was