The age-herald., 1901-12-07
Action of Cib Council Wed- nesday Might BecQnGs
 Null and Void
CANNOT BE RAISED
 DURING PRESENT TERM
MT. Drennen, When Shown Section Covering Case, Says It Is Plain That Blunder Has Been
 Made.

Mayor Walter Melville Drennen will have to serve out his present term at salary of $2o0 per month. notwithstand- ing the liberality of the city council in making it s25O, or 5000 per year.
 This condition of affairs was brought about by the failure of lawyers upon the board to read the new constitution. Sec tion 2s1, article r of the new constitution is as follows:
 "The salary, fees or compensation of any officer holding any civil office of profit under the State, or any county or municipality thereof, shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which he shall have been elected or appointed" MAYOR SAYS ACTION
 IS NULL AND VOID. When shown the section of the consti- tuition relating to the increase of munich pal salaries Mayor Drennen admitted that the action of the city council at the last session is null and void.
 ''The constitution answers the question fully" said MT. Drennen, and there is nothing left for me to say. There is no prohibits an increase of my salary dur ing my present term of office.
 "As to the other city officers the in- crease in their salaries will not be af- fected. They are elected from year to year and the board on Wednesday night merely fixed their salaries for the coming year."
 Robert H. Thach, chairman of the ju- dietary committee of the city council said last night there could be no question as to the law.
 CONSTITUTION
 PLAIN ON SUBJECT.
 ''The constitution is very plain in its provisions" said Mir. Thach, "and it is rather remarkable that none of the law yers of the board thought of the change from the old law. Under the old consti- tuition the salaries of State officials could not be changed during their terms of of- fice and the new instrument changed this by including the heads of munich palities. The action of the board yes terday is clearly null and void, and the Mayors salary cannot be raised until his present term has expired"
 MAY BE LEFT
 TO FUTURE BOARD.
 It is now up to the Mayor and Board Of Aldermen to take some action, and the entire ordinance may be rescinded or re- pealed. There is some question as to the process employed in such an undertak- ing. but 1t has been suggested that the salary schedule be amended so as to make the increase of salary effective at the expiration of the Mayors present term of office. provided the financial condition of the city warrants 1t at that time.
 It is argued that the present Board of Aldermen cannot fix the salary for an in- coming Mayor, and that the matter will have to be left with the board which goes into office with the new Mayor. In this case. prominent lawyers say, an ordinance will have to be introduced striking out that part of the salary sched- ule which applies to an increase for the Mayor.
 It is the general opinion that the saiar- les of the minor officials elected by the Council will not be affected.
 MAYOR SMILES
 OVER THE ELECTION. When mention was made of the cleo | tion Monday night to Mayor Drennen he smiled good humoredly but said nothing His enthusiasm over the good roads ques- tion would not at first. permit of a dis