The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1905-07-07

ing population of fifty thou sand
or more and less than one hundred
and fifty thousand.
Section 2-This act shall take
effect and be in force from and af-
ter its passage.
Approved April 81, 1903,
On June %, this year, the At
/ torney General of the State of
Minnesota held the 1903 law uncon-
stitutional and the following ac-
count was received in the dailies of
that date:
"The law purported to amend
chapter 10 of the laws of 1899,
which regulates the holding of an
nual meetings of common school
districts throughout the state. By
a mistake on the part of the per-
son who drafted the amendment,
however, the 1903 law practically
repealed the provisions of the 1899
law as they relate to school dis
tricts outside of st. Louis county.
The legislature intended to affect
only ST. Louis county, whereas the
amendment passed, affected every
common school district in the state.
Mr.. Young holds, moreover,
that the classification of school
districts named in the 1903 law is
unconstitutional, It Classics dis
tricts according to whether they
are located in counties of from
so, 900 to 80, 900 or not. Mr.. Young
says that this classification is ar
bitrary and is not recognized by
the constitution"
The 1903 law was passed to cover
the cases of the cities on the
ranges whose population was such
as to preclude the possibility of
the full vote being cast in the hour
allowed by the various boards for
voting.
| In our opinion the law was just
what was needed and would assist
the various annual meetings in
transacting their business far more
intelligently than under the old
system. With the various precincts
established all matters of import
ance to come before the annual
meeting would necessarily have to
be set forth on the ballot to be
voted. While this would entail
considerable clerical and legal work
in compiling the necessary infor-
nation to voters it would never
the-less be of vast benefit. The
only drawback to the law would be
the receiving and publicly accept
ing of the annual reports of the
clerk and treasurer.
AS the precincts cannot be had,
it behooves all to get there at Z
O'Clock for the transaction of bus
mess. The polls for the election of
officers will be kept open as long
as there are voters present. This
will do away with the pull and
haul usually experienced at a hot
election where the polls are only
open one hour.
The matter for salaries for offic-
ers being quite generally discussed.
The salaries of officers are voted
at the end of the year. People
who take an interest in school
matters should see that they get
to the meeting in time to attend
to the fixing of salaries for work
done. The larger part of the peop-
lie know what board has been do
ing and should see that the officers
receive remuneration according to
the work performed.
The law in regard to the pay
ment of salaries is very vague and
leaves the, thing open at both ends.
Clerks shall receive two per cent
on the cash disbursements of the
year provided their reports are
found to be accurate and made
within the time prescribed by law.
A provision in the law however,
says that the amount received for
such services shall not exceed six
dollars unless the district votes a
larger sum at a school meeting
called by notices in which it was
stated that action would be had
on the question of increasing such
compensation.
While there is no doubt that
men would be found who would
hold these Offices if there was no
salary attached, many having done
so while the district was in incub-
alton period, it nevertheless re-
mains fact that the prospective
two per cent on about $40, 900 for
the coming year has proved an in
centive for many candidates. 1t ap-
pears so, at least. Several of those