Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-02-22

Denver. Colo. Feb. l1.-Tbc Rush
hill To consolidate the city Of Denver
and the county of Arnpahoc hns been
ordered by the Scnai. To lie sent To
the supreme Court Tor Its consideration
on points raised as To Its possible un.
constitutionniity. Senator Whitford at.
tackled Il In u set speech. declaring IL
to he unconstitutional. His first point
was that under the organic law OF the
state n new article could not bc pro
posed. Amendments must bc Gcrmnnc
to the articles already In existence.
The only way In which new article
In toto could bc submitted was In the
event OF constitutional convention.
The author himself admitted that there
was no article TO which his bill could
he made nmcn,latory by Introducing u
new article. The Taylor bill permits
only amendments TO six articles. not
the proposal OF new matter.
II, on the other hand. the Rush bill
he considered ms amcndatory. how
many articles does II amend: The sen
ntor then reviewed the constitutional
amendments. pending and said that IL
he could prove that the proposed nrti.
Gle materially amended seven articles
II would he considered sufficient ground
for reconsideration. He claimed that
II amends section eight OF article siN-
teen, by wiping out the board of county
commissioners. The second and eighth
and eleventh sections of article fifteen.
relating to charters. franchises and the
right OF eminent domain. were also
amended.
Senator Taylor asked whether SEN
ntor Whitfords consolidation OF cleo
tions bill was not open to the same
criticism.
The senator thought It might be and
then commended Senator Taylor for
having made his constitutional amend
ments separately instead Of In IAN
omnibus bill" He then went on with
article nineteen. sections six. fourteen
and fifteen providing for the election
or appointment of county officers. and
their salaries. all of which he said were
materially affected by the Rush bill.
Article thirteen. section three, regulnt-
l. the removal of officers for mnlfeas-
ance in office was also amended. Artt-
Gle twelve, section five. dealing with
the county treasurer was changed. and
he cited n decision to show that there
was no power to change the name of
an officer.
Article eleven. section six. limiting
county Indebtedness. had. he said.
been amended by an amendment to
the Rush Uill. comforting the power to
tissue bonds in any amount" 1s pro-
vided by the charter. This vas also
the case with the eighth section. deal
with the city Indebtedness. Article
ten. section seven. took away the right
of the General Assembly TO permit
counties to levy taxes for certain pur-
poses. Section fifteen was also amend
ed by abolishing the county board OF
equalization and the jurisdiction of the
state board. Article nine. section four,
was greatly modified. more county otii-
GERS being wiped out Of existence.
Section fifteen. concerning school dis
tricts, was amended.
..Mnrvelous. mnrvelous!' exclaimed
the senator. He didn't find anything
to change in article eight"
The senator from the First also ad
mitted that the Rush bill did not affect
articles seven. but Senator Taylor's bill
did, and was very important meas
ure. Article six, sections twenty-onc
and twenty-five were amended by the
wiping out of yet more offices. Section
fourteen was amended by taking away
the power of the General As
sembly to determine the number Of dis
trict judges and their term Of office.
Section twelve was seriously impaired
and altered. Article five, section thir
ty regulating salaries of district
Judges, was changed. Article four was
passed. Article three. defining the
branches of government, was amended