, 1889-07-25

N-~ fH->t w. ssssuSr-.
CpfIron 81 fiid convention. The conven-
tion being asked voted decidedly that II
did not want to do anything more with
the subject at this time. The conven-
tion has therefore up to date declined to
the constitution. The report ofthe com
mittee on county, city and township
organization was taken up.
ON motion of Mr.. Stiles, the chairman
of that committee, the convention went
into committee of the whole to consider
the report. The president said he had
selected chairman, but he believed
that the gentleman had suspected what
was in store for him and
HAD DISAPPEARED,
so he asked Mr.. Gritfitts TO rnke the
chair. But Mr.. Griffitts with his
blandest and most expansive smile,
claimed exemption on the ground that
he was member of that committee.
He was excused. The president then
called Mr.. Dunbar to the chair, and the
committee of the whole proceeded to
business. The report was first read in
full.
SECTION was read and adopted. 1t
recognizes existing county boundaries.
SIC. 2, prohibiting the removal of a
county seat except upon a majority
vote, such question to be submitted not
oftener than once in four years, was
read.
Mr.. Glascock moved to amend by sub.
stitutine "a two-thirds vote for "a ma
jority vote"
Mr.. Power hoped not. Centers of
population were shifting, and TWO
thirds vote was almost prohibitory.
J. H. Moore thought on the first read
ing that majority vote of all the quail
fled electors OF the county was necessary,
but upon the suggestion of the chair ne
saw that only a majority of those vot-
ing on the proposition was necessary;
hut still he thought the section right as
it stood, and that majority vote WAS
sufficient.
Mr.. Kinnear favored the amendment
and thought two-third vote should be
required.
Mr., Warner supported II also.
Mr. Comegys wanted to know why
majoritcs should not be allowed to rule,
and by what right this conven tion
was to take away the right of the ma
| .jority to say where they wanted 10 have
| their county seat.
Mr.. Stiles said that the committee
had discussed this point u good deal,
hut had finally decided that majority
vote was sufficient, inasmuch as this
was only restriction on the legislature.
The section only said that the lcgisla-
ture shall not change n county seat un-
| less at least a majority vote of the cleo
tors agree to it.. The legislature may
require two-thirds or orthroe-quarters of the
electors to agree if it chooses, but this
convention is TO merely say that unless
at least onc-half the electors 90 agree, the
legislature cannot act lie thought this
provision ample TO protect everybody.
MIR. Sullivan of Tacoma favored the
amendment and his position was, he
said only
INTENSIFIED By THE REMARKS
of the last speaker. Members of the
legislature were elected merely for Their
fitness to make laws and not to change
county seats, and he did not want to see
q legislature elected on county seat
issue.
4. NJ. Reed opposed the amendment
and believed majority of the people
knew how TO manage their own business.
A two-third vote was practically pro.
hibitive in this matter, and on general
principles he did not believe in any ar
rangement which allowed two men tc
rum three men.
Mr.. Griifitts favored the committee's IS
report and opposed the amendment
He asked the members TO recollect that
all powers not prohibited to the legisla
ture could be exercised by 1t, and that
this section proposed only to restrict
them 10 the extent of saying only unless
majority of the electors aequese car
il change n county seat That was a:
far as he was willing to go in restricting
the legislature. The section does no
sny that when majority of the elcctorl
80 vote county seat shall be changed
but only that until the majority do &
vote, the legislature cannot change 1t
lie favored The majority rule in loca
committees. and in this particular mat
ter he thought ample safeguards wer
provided for everybody.
i Mr.. Dyer THOUGHT that ono man-tha