The Lamar register., 1901-04-03
Two important Amendments.

Senator Taylor's biennial election
bills, Nos. 311 and 31S. have been
signed by Governor Orman. These two
measures, from an economical stand-
point, are by far the most important
and far-reaching 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
n 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 unquestionably
will be, there will be no more county
or district elections in this state in the
odd years. as heretofore, as the county
and district officers will be elected ut
the general state elections in the even
years.
The reason these two measures were
put in separate bills Is because, accord
Ing to the Taylor amendment of last
fall, all amendments must be submit
ted to the people separately, so that
they may consider and vote upon them
separately.
Senate Bill 311 is an amendment to
Article 6. and applies to district attor-
neys and county judges. 1t extends
the term of office of all district attor-
neys in this state one year. and makes
them hold until January, 1905, and the
county judges elected at the election
this fall will also hold until January,
1905; and thereafter each of these off,
GERS will be elected for the term of
four years. This bill also provides that
the Legislature may provide for the
payment of salary to each of these
officers. instead of fees, us the constitu-
tion 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 at 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, II it
sees fit, enact n law providing for the
| payment of a salary to all county off,
GERS, instead of fees, us has been the
constitutional provision heretofore.
Three years ago Senator Taylor cor
responded with 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 direct saving to the
taxpayers of this state of nearly n
quarter of a million dollars every al
ternate year. The district attorneys
and county judges. as well as all coun-
ty officials in the state, are very much
interested in these measures, and have,
since they learned their purport, been
exercising their influence in their be-
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.
flee one year. as before shown--will
constitute a very strong element of
support for these measures in every
county, SO that 1t seems safe to say
that they are just as good as enacted
! into the constitution Just now.