The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1897-07-10
GRAND MARAIs. MIMI. JULY 10. 1897
state and County Home Rule.


Editor w. 81. Kaufman, of the Rice
county Jeffersonian, is making practical
application Of the question of home rule
by a proposition to have law enacted
by the next legislature, empowering the
voters of counties to fix the compensa-
ton of county officials. His bill, which
has been sent to the reform press of the
state, proposes that whenever 25 per cent
of the voters of any county petition the
county auditor for the increase or de-
crease Of the compensation of any county
officer to a certain specified sum, it shall
be the duty of the auditor to cause the
question to be submitted to vote at the
next ensuing election, the ballots to be
marked in the usual form of voting yes
or no upon questions submitted to them
If it be carried by the majority vote,
the compensation provided for takes ef-
feet on the following January. PROPOSE
ton may be submitted for changing the
compensation of two or more officials
but not more than one proposition shall
be submitted concerning any one official.
If two or more propositions shall be
presented to the auditor concerning one
office he shall cause to be printed on the
official ballot that proposition to which
the largest number of voters have affixed
their signature.
A penalty is provided for persons sign
ing petitions who are not qualified vot-
ers. The petitions must be filed at least
ten days prior to the election, and the
vote on which the petition is founded is
that cast for governor at the last preced-
ing election.
In response to request for an opinion
on the bill, the Press can see no possible
objection to the proposed law, and the
enactment is step in the people direct
more directly participating in their own
affairs. It will probably be objected to
by all incumbents of the offices, that the
possible change would interfere with the
salary as understood when the incum-
bent was elected. But as most of the Of
fees are for two years, it will be seen
that no change could be affected which
would materially change the contract,
until there was the chance of the incum-
bent to retire if he did not like the
change. A suggestion the Press would
make is that the penalty seems too small
for false petition, and there might be a
provision of forfeiture of Office if any
official was convicted of interference
with the fair determination of the mat
ter, or opposed the success of the petit
tion. .:L
There are no doubt many cases throug.
out the state where such law would be
benefit. In all the hard times OF
the past few years, there has been very
little if any reduction in public salaries
AS rule it is next to impossible to re.
duce them. The recent legislature when
it made move in that direction, found
the whole state office holding commun.
ity up in arms against it, both the office
holders and those expecting to be such
There is rarely the courage and indie.
pendence necessary on the part of the
county commissioners, to undertake such
reduction, and the board is far too otter
entirely under the control of county Of
flee holders. Here would be way o.
getting at it directly, and it would at the
same time apply the cherished principle
of keeping all public matters as much al
possible in the control of the people
themselves.-Penny Press.