Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1912-05-31

January lst, 19ll, l took full charge of
the office and have performed the
duties during the two years now clos.
ing as conscientiously and in as eco.
nomical manner as possible. II elected
for the ensuing two years, will persue
the same policy to the best of my
ability.
Ny opponent has raised the question
as to what constitutes term OF offloe
holding that my appointment should
count against the time limit mem toned
in various opinions. The constitution
provides that every two years there
shall be elected Register of Deeds.
whose term of office shall be two years.
and that four consecutive years shall
be the time limit when so elected, but
fails to make any mention Of the time
served by an appointment, which cause,
my opponent thinks Is grounds for an
argument.
To combat his argument, wish to
present the opinions rendered by some
of our attorney generals and local at.
torneys as follows:
Attorney General Royal O. johnson,
holds that l am eligible to be elected
and qualify, and ii elected would bs
considered as hold. over, and all
official acts of myself in discharginR
the duties of the office would be DER.
fectly legal and have the same legal
standing rs any officer elected under
ordinary circumstances.
The decision rendered by Hon. w. II,
Roodle, Assistant Attorney General,
one of Mr.. Johnson's predecessors. 10
to the effect that on this particular
section of the law such services as an
appointee prior to my election to my
first term, the period being less than
two years, does not disqualify me f.r
election to second term.
Attorney Orville Rinehart, Of Rapid
City. South Dakota, who has been
practicing law for the past thirty years
aud Attorney w. B. Dudley, of Hot
Springs, South Dakota, whose record
as lawyer of note and ability you all
know, hold that l am eligible to bs
elected, qualify and serve the follow.
ing two years, and that all of my official
acts will be perfectly legal and have
the same legal standing as any officer
elected under ordinary circumstances.
We understand that our opponent is
circulating an unsigned circular pur.
porting to contain q statement of the
Register of Deeds office during my term
and this circular sets forth some very
misleading and erroneous statements.
In answer to it l beg to submit the
following statement:
l wish to state that the fees previous
to my term of office averaged In the
neighborhood Of $50 to s75 per MONTH
At that time the office being fee office
the receipts received applied on the
salary of the official in charge. During
my term of office. however, the fees
have steadily increased and are now
running between $500 and &26O per
month. The office now is not fee
office but carries q salary Of 800 per
month and as will be seen BY the
figures just shown, the work neoessi.
tates an assistant which the oommis.
sioners have allowed salary Of $50 per
month, according TO law, Section 895,
page 221 of the Political Code of 1910.
During my term of Office of little over
q year up to the present time l have
turned into the general fund Of the
county sS42.6l, which amount is the
total after the salaries Of both Register
of Deeds and clerk hire are deducted.
In closing, wish to state that I am
offering this article to the voters merely
to set right any misleading or erroneous
reports which may have been circulated.
believe that my record in this Office
and your sense of justice aud fair deal.
ing will not allow your good judgment
to be biased by some of the misleading
reports circulated.
Thanking you for past favors,
earnestly solicit your vote at the pri.
maries and assure you that it will be
appreciated and that will endeavor to
conduct the Office, if elected in q fair
and conscientious manner for the fol-,
lowing two years.
Respectively submitted,
j. @. WHALRY.
BIDS FOR CITY PRINTING.