The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-08
County Commissioners viii
Hold Office Six Years.
That Is the Result of Adoption
Unconstitutional Amendment.
PAY FOR LEGISLATORS.
They Will Get $500 Year In
stead of $50.
Length of the Sessions Will Not
Be Limited.

The county commissioners who were
, elected in the 1O5 counties of Kansas
were elected for six years instead Of
three as heretofore. This will probably
be news to a good many of the commits
sioners themselves, as well as many OIh-
sr people, but it is a fact.
Very little was said about the blen-
NAL election amendment which was Vo-
ted on Tuesday. 1t was explained that
its purpose was to make all elections.
including township elections, come only
once in two years. one of the things
provided for in the amendment is that
commissioners shall hold their offices Tor
six years. one being elected every two
years. The amendment undoubtedly
carried by an overwhelming vote. 1t
goes into effect Immediately without
any statutory enactments, so that the
newly elected commissioners, who viii
20 into office next January. will hold
until January 1909 without reelection.
When this provision was called to the
attention of Dell Valentine, clerk of the
supreme court. he gave vent to a
WhooD
Glory haIlelujah!" he exclaimed.
I'VE have elected the county commits
sioner in one of the country districts
this fall for the first time for years. 1t
gives US two Republican members on
the board In two years the city mem
Der is to be reelected and he is safe
Republican so that we sure of a
Republican board for six years at least
If I had known that I would have hus-
tied Just a little harder for fear the
other fellows would win, and L would be
pretty mad now if they had won and
the amendment had put them into office
for six years"
Mr.. Valentines enthusiasm can be ex-
planned by the fact that the board of
county commissioners let's the county
printing, and in his county, Clay. the
= POpulist paper has been getting that
plum FOR several years. Now Mr. Val
entine believes he will have a mortgage
on it for six years at least
If the other amendment to the consti-
tuition carried, as it undoubtedly did, the
members of the coming legislature VIII
draw $500 for the session, but their mile
age viii be limited TO three cents mile
each way. Heretofore they have drawn
three dollars a day uD to $3.50 and 10
cents a mile each way.
The length of the legislature will not
be limited Is heretofore. and the COM
ing session will probably last until well
along towards May instead of ad journing
during the first week of March. Here
tOfore the members pay stopped at the
end of fifty days. A big bunch of bills
were hurried through during the lasA
day or two without proper investigation
and the Legislature adjourned, as the
members did not care to stay after their
pay stopped, especially as the ray was
not enough to cover their expenses anG
leave them laborers wages besides In
der the new amendment they will be
paid a salary and will stay until their
work is properly done. The amendment
evidently contemplates a session of 100
days at five dollars a day, because a
+ per diem of five dollars per day is given
In case of special sessions.
The coming session will probably not
do much business of a legislative ma
ture until after the election of a United
States senator and state printer That
will take until well along towards the
first of February. Then from sixty to
ninety days viii probably be taken up
with legislation.
While the pay of plain scrub mem.
bers of the legislature will be consider.
ably increased, Lieutenant Governor
Hanna will have to worry along with
the same pay that lieutenant governors
have been receiving for the past thirty
years. The lieutenant governor and
speaker of the house have heretofore re-
celVed just twice the per diem of MEM
bers. The speaker Of the house is given
three dollars per day in addition to his
per diem as member of the house. The
constitution provides that the salary OF
the legislator shall be fixed by sta fute
and there is a statute which fxes his
salary a t six dollars Il day for presiding
over the senate. and 10 cents a mile
mileage But the constitution also saws
that an officers salary shall NOT h.
changed during the term for which bf
yis elected. so that the coming legislature
NcannOt raise that of Lieutenant Cover.
nor Hanna. even though it wished Il
do so. So 1t is possible that the nresid.
ing officer of the senate may not get AZ
much salary as a member. If the ses
sion should happen to be only seventy
days long he would get only 1920 Will.
a member will get $500.
Up in Brown county there is the sam
trouble. and some of the Democrat Nh
= county candidates alleSe that il all theI
votes had been counted they would hav,
r. been elected. and they too will attacl
the election law.
While the next legislature will No
re-elect Senator Harris to the Unite,
States senate. It would be the gracefu
and appropriate thing to do to mass
Joint resolution recommending Nj
Harris for one of the places on the cana
commission, and asking Presiden
Roosevelt to appoint him. Some of tn
places will go to Democrats. Senate
Harris is recognized as an expert on tn
canal question. He knows it proba hi
as well If not better than any other ma
} in either branch of congress His abilit
y along all lines IS recognized by Repub
licans as well as Democrats. The ON
thing the Republicans of Kansas hav
against HIN is that he belongs TO tn
wrong party, but that will make no dit
ference with the canal commission a
long as some of the members will b
Democratic anyway. Why should nc
Kansas he honored with one of thes
places when she has a man who is en-
inentIy fitted for it7
Trouble has commenced over tn
throwing out Of ballots which were nc
marked in accordance with the new ba
lot law. AS predicted by the State jour
I nal some time ago, the No nomination
sfeature is causing more trouble tina
anything else A great many voter
marked the squares after No nomina
ton spaces, and as a rule these Wer
Democratic ballots. as the Republican
invariably had full tickets in the field
C. NJ. Cole. Democratic candidate ft
congress in the Sixth district. is consic
erlng the idea of contesting Congress:
man Reeaes =. 5 'sis, eiectlon. ana lJ IS oul