The Dolores star., 1901-04-05
Two important amendments.

Senator Taylor's biennial election
bills, Nos. 3l7 and 31S. have been
signed by Governor Orman. These two
measures. from an economical stand
point. are by far the most important
and far-rcaChing of any bills that have
been passed by the Legislature for
MANY years, and they represent the
final success of the senator's efforts for
"A number Of years past. They both
provide for constitutional amendments
to be submitted to the people at the
general election in 1902. If they are
then adopted. as they unQucstionably
will be, there will be no more county
or district elections in this state in the
odd years. rs heretofore. rs the county
and district officers will be elected ut
the general state elections in the even
years.
The reason these two measures We're
put i'll separate bills is because accord
lng to the Taylor amendment of last
lhll, all amendments must be submit
ted to the people separately. so that
they may consider and vote upon them
separately.
SENATE Bill 31I is an amendment to
Article &. ana applies to district at;Or-
n"yS and county Judges. 1t extends
tn" term of office Of all district attor-
ncyS in this state one year. and makes
them hold until January. 1903, and the
county judges elected at the election
this fail will also hold until January,
l9oD; and thereafter each of these otii-
GERS Will be elected for the term of
four years. This bill also provides that
the Legislature may provide for the
payment Of n salary to each of these
.tl 4 . 81,
ton heretofore provided
Senate Bill 31S is an amendment to
Article II. and applies to all other
county officers. 1t extends the term of
office of all county officers that will be
elected this fall one year. so that they
Will hold for three years instead of two,
and their term of office will expire in
January. 1905. Thereafter all county
officers will be elected nt the same time
the state officers are elected for the
period of two years, excepting the
county commissioners, whose terms of
Office Will be four years. This bill also
provides that the Legislature may, if ii
sees lit. enact Il law providing for the
payment of Il salary to all county otIi-
GERS. instead of fees. as has been the
constitutional provision heretofore.
Three years ago Senator Taylor cor
responded with Il large number of the
county clerks of the state to ascertain
| the exact cost of an election in this
state, and learned through actual fig.
ureS that the enactment of these two
measures will be a direct saving to the
taxpayers Of this state of nearly Il
quarter of Il million dollars every al.
ternate year. The district ATTORNEYS
and county judges. as well as all coup.
| ~ officials in the state, are very much
Interested in these measures. and have
since they learned their purport. been
exercising their influence in their he.
half, and there is no doubt that when
1t comes to the election of 1902 the in.
terest which all county officials in the
state will have in seeing them enacted
as they will extend their terms of Of
nee one year, as before shOwn--wilI
constitute n very strong element of
support for these measures in every
county, so that it seems safe to 81
mat they are just as good as enacted
into the constitution just nov.