The record-union., 1897-04-27
WHAT THE NEW LAWS ARE
INTENDED TO ACCOMPLISH
NUMBER TWENTY-ONE.

Two constitutional amendments were
introduced in the Senate at the last
session of the Legislature, which were
considered of sufficient Importance to
be submitted to the people at the next
general election.
One of these by Stratton, proposes to
add a new section to be known as Sec
ton 10 to Article XI. of the Constitu-
ton, providing for the framing, by the
inhabitants of counties, of local county
government acts for their own govern
ment. The amendment, which will be
voted on by the people, is as follows:
LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Section ~ The inhabitants of any
county may frame a County Govern
ment Act for their own government, re-
lating to the matters hereinafter speci-
fed, and consistent with, and subject
to- the Constitution and laws of this
State, by causing a board of fifteen
freeholders, who have been, for at
least five years qualified electors of
such county, to be elected by the quail
flied electors of such county, at any
general or special election, whose duty
it shall be, within ninety days after
such election, to prepare and propose
a County Government Act for such
county, which shall be signed in dupli-
cate by the members of such board,
or a majority of them, and returned,
one copy thereof to the Board of Su-
perVisOrs or other legislative body of
such county, and the other copy to be
sent to the Recorder of Deeds of the
county. Such proposed County Gov
eminent Act shall then be published
in Of lot i'm
such county, or if there be not two
such papers then in one only, for at
least twenty days, and within not less
than thirty days after such publication
it shall be submitted to the qualified
electors of such county, at a general or
special election, and if a majority of
such qualified electors voting thereon
shall ratify the same it shall thereafter
be submitted to the Legislature for its
rejection or approval. as a whole, with
out power of alteration or amendment,
and if approved by a majority of the
members elected to each house. ii shall
be the County Government Act of such
county, and shall in such case become
the organic law thereof and supersede
any existing County Government Act,
and all amendments thereof, and all
special laws inconsistent with such
County Government Act.
A copy of such County Government
Act, certified by the President of the
Board of Supervisors or other legis-
lative body Of such county and au-
thenticated by the seal Of such county,
setting forth the submission of such
County Government Act TO the electors,
and its ratification by them, shall be
made in duplicate and deposited, one
in the office of the Secretary OF State,
the other. after being recorded in the
Office of the Recorder of Deeds in the
county, among the archives of the
county.
All courts shall take judicial notice
thereof. The County Government Act so
ratified may be amended at intervals of
not less than two years. by proposals
therefor, submitted by the legislative
authority of the county, to the qualified
electors thereof, at a general or spe-
cial election held at least forty days
after the publication of such proposals
for twenty days in a newspaper of
general circulation in such county. and
ratified by at least three-fifths Of the
qualified electors voting thereon, and
approved by the Legislature as herein
provided for the Approval of the Coun-
~ Government Act. In submitting any
such County Government Act, any
alternative article or proposition may
be presented for the choice of the
voters, and may be voted on separately
without prejudice to others.
It shall be competent in all County
Government Acts framed under the
authority given by this section. to pro-
vide for the manner in which the times
at which, and the terms for which the
several township and county officers.
other than Judges Of the Superior Court,
shall be elected or appointed; for their
compensation; for the number of such
officers. for the consolidation or segre-
cation OF offices, for the number of
deputies that each other shall have.
and for the compensation payable to
each Of such deputies. for the manner
in which, the times in which. and the
terms for which the members Of all
boards of election shall be elected OF
appointed; and for the constitution,