Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-08
TENURE OF OFFICE.

Views of the Democratic Candidates to the
Terms of the Present County Officials.
Among the subjects that will come before
the Constitutional convention for consider
alton is the question OF tenure OF Office for
the present county officials. 1t is a per.
sonal matter to a certain extent, and as
such can cut no prominent part in the de-
alterations of the convention. The en-
aiding act of congress provides that the
coming State shall elect a full eet of State
officials, Legislature and representative to
Congress next fall. The regular Con-
gressional elections are required by act OF
Congress to be held on the Tuesday next
after the first Monday in November every
second year in 1876 and the following years
and the elections occur in the fall of the
even numbered years. The election next
fall will therefore occur in an odd year aud
the Congressman elected then will Rave
only one term to serve in the Fifty-first
Congress-. 1t will be necessary in the State
of Montana to hold an election for Con
gresham in the fall OF 1890 to take
his place in the Fifty-second Con-
aress, all Congressional terms expiring
with each Congress. The elections
for State officers in all the Stat g are made
to take place in the same years as the
Congressional elections, every two or four
years, accordingly as the State officers
hold for two or four years, and the county
officers are elected at the same time. Tn
State OF Montana will OF course be in line
with the rest of the States in this respect
and will have it's county officers elected at
the general elections, whether it decides
that State and county officials hold office
for two or four years. Therefore the State
officers and Legislature elected next fall
will most likely only be elected for one year
until 1890. when a general election Will
occur.
The question therefore presents itself for
consideration whether it will be worth
while to elect county officers as we'll as
State officers next fall who will only hold
office for one year which is the unexpired
term OF the present county officials. As it
ia a. matter OF interest to know the views
OF the gentlemen in this county who are
nominated for candidates at the delegate
election occurring on May IA upon this
point, a reporter interviewed several OF the
Democratic nominees upon the subject
with the result that one and all erefavo
aDl0 10 Uuc ptCSCnU SouhUy AASSA
their offices to the end OF tine term for
which they were elected last fall.
w. w. Dixon expressed his conviction
that it would be a great deal betterto have
the county officers hold over next fall. 1t
would prevent mixing up local politics in
the State election, and at this time it is ex-
tremely desirable to cav the issue before
the people as clear as possible.
G. w. Stapleton thought that, although
no man has a franchise on any office to
which he may be elected, and holds it only
at the will OF the people, it would be q
simple measure of justice to the gentlemen
now holding county Offices to allow them to
remain to the end OF their They spent
their money to hold office for two years
and should be allowed to fill them out.
Besides another set of officers will have to
he elected in 1890 and there is no sense II
electing men for one year when they cue no
figure in the new State. These men are mo
State officers and The present men a Just
as well perform their du6ies IN tire new state
as under the Territory.
w. A.. Clark saw no oblectloh TO the
present county officers remalnlng to the
snd az their term. He is opposed to boo
f~ronnent elections as an unnecessary tax
ON the people and would avoid the addi.
t;onal expense that ~electing q full set OF
county officials next fall would create.