The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-06

ernor is to have a constitutional part
in law making, and we believe such
is the desire of the people and that it
is wise provision, then more than a
majority should be required to pass a
bill over his objection
PROPOSAL THREE
That Sections 1, 2, q and 5 of Ar
ticle (24) of the Amendments to the
Constitution be amended to read as
follows:
ARTICLE (24), Section 1. The gen.
eral assembly shall meet biennaly on
the first Wednesday next after the
first Monday of January, beginning
A. D. 1915.
Section 2. The governor, iieuten-
ant governor, treasurer, secretary of
state, auditor Of accounts, senators,
town representatives assistant judges
of the county court, sheriffs, high
baiIiffs, states attorneys, judges OF
probate and justices of the peace
shall be elected biennaIly, on the first
Tuesday next after the first Monday oil
November, beginning A. D. 1914.
Section a. The term OF office Of
senators and town representatives
shall be two years, commencing on
the first Wednesday next after the first
Monday of January following their
election.
"Section 5. The term of the assist
ant judges Of the county court, sher-
ifs, high bailiffs, states attorneys
judges of probate and justices of the
peace, shall be two years, and shall
commence on the first day of Febru
airy next after their election"
And that new section, to be known
as Section 6, be added as follows
"Section 6. The persons who shall
be severaly elected in 1912 to the OF
fees mentioned in this article shall
hold such offices until the term Of
! their successors elected the first Tues
day next after the first Monday o.
November, A. D. 1914, shall begin a:
herein provided"
1t has been suggested that the re-
suit of our September election in pres.
idential years was something of an in
den of the tendency throughout the
country OF the presidential election
to follow Possibly holding our state
election thus in advance of other state.
| gives us some political importance
but it hardly could be said that sucf
a consideration, whether imaginary OF
real, should materially affect matter
of state convenience and economy
1t would save the expense anC
trouble of two elections in presidential
years to follow the practice of amos
every other state and hold our free
mems meeting on the first Tuesday af.
ter the first Monday of November
Such a change would naturally re
quire the general assembly to convene
early in January, which Is almost the
universal practice of the other states
That date ought to be equally If no
more convenient for members and 9th
ers who attend upon the legislature
1t is understood that one of the orr
ginal reasons for October sessions was
to avoid the inconvenience of winte
travel. With the advent of railroads
that reason is no longer potent.
A change of date of the freemen'
meeting and of the session of the gen
eral assembly would necessitate a
change in the beginning of the tern
of certain officers. The governor ant
other state officers elected on thu
! ticket with him could begin their tern
as now, when the general assemDl.
has canvassed their votes and de
clared their election and they havt
qualified. (Amend, Art. "a, Sec. 3
The term of Office OF senator's anC
town Representatives could also begil
as now on the day appointed for thu
meeting Of the general assembly. Tn,
term Of office of assistant judges o
the county court, sheriffs, high bail
ifs, states attorneys, judges of pro
bate and justices Of the peace, whicl
now begin December LIST, could no
begin until after the beginning of ia,
session OF TIE general asse ably, a.
| heir votes have 70 be caayassed anC
fheir election d9cl''ed by commit
zee Of the general assembly. (Amend