The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-02-28
EOuR YEARS WANTED.

The following in the text of the
bill which has grown ont Of the move |
ment recently to alternate the terms |
Of county on GERS: y bill for an act |
to fiE the terms Of Office and time |
of election Of the County Treasurers,
County Superintendent Of School,
County CDroners, County Surveyors,
County Auditors. County Sheriffs,
County Registers of Deedsaud County
Attorneys in this state so that the
first four shall alternate with the
last four mentioned in this title.
BE it enacted by the Legislature Of
the state of Minnesota:
Section |. There shall be elected
in each county in this State at the
next general election held therein
and every fourth year thereafter, ii
county Treasurer, Il County Super
intendent OF schools, County COrO
nor, and a County Surveyor, whose
terms of office shall commence on the
first Monday Of January succeeding
their election, and who shall hold
their Office for term of four years
and until their successors are elected
and qualified.
Section 2. There shall he elected
in each county in this State at the
next general election held after the
general election mentioned in section
one ~ of this Act. and not before,
and every fO"rtI year thereafter, n
County Auditor, County Register of
Deeds, a County Sheriff and a County
Attorney. whose terms Of office shall
commence on the first Monlay Of
Janusry succeeding their election,
and who shall hold their Office for
term Of four years and until their
successors are elected and qualified.
Section 8. All Acts and parts OF
Acts inconsistent herewith are here
by repealed.
Section 4. This act shall take
effect and lie in force from and after
its passage.
The same reasons which induced
HDD. Henry NJ. Knox, then Public
Examiner, in his second biennial re-
port. to recommend that the terms Of
the two accounting officers Of a coun.
ty be heightened to four years and
that provision be made that auditors
and treasurers be chosen at the alter
nate biennial elections, holds good, in
n mesare, with the balance OF county
officers. No mill.owner. for instance
would think of turning off all his
skilled hands at once, and for the
same business reason, no county
ought to be placed in jeopardy of
being left to the mercy of full list
of green officials. Then, two years
is a short term. AS the same efficient
public officer referred to above once
said in effect: "lt takes q county
officer about one-half his term to be-
come fairly well acquainted with
the duties OF his Office and the other
trying to be reelected" If that be
true, then the extension of terms
from two to four years would treble
the length of service most efficient
for the public COOL. Another sugges-
ton, which we interject in all mild
ness, is: to divide the county aspir-
ants for Office into two bands would
d. away, In large measure. with
the influence tending in some cases to
perVersion Of the public will. The
people could Withstand the efforts of
four men seeking Office better than
eight. The bill has prominent sane.
ton, and, as it asks for nothing but
an extention Of the present terms of
four officers and will rebound to the
public good, we think it must pass.