Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-01-23

to the special session, l urged tn a
bill be passed without a referendum.
1t was my opinion that a Jury commits
sion, appointed by supreme court JUS
tees. offered the proper and effective
solution, but that session resulted in
the passage of a bill providing for n
commission consisting of the sheriff
and one citizen of each county, the lat
ter to be appointed by the chancellor,
and directing that the acceptance of
the act should be submitted to the peo-
Pile of the whole state at the last gen
tral election. Another bill was passed
at the same session. taking effect at
once. reforming and safeguarding the
method of selection by the sheriffs of
u grand and petit jurors, and was
therefore in operation before the gen
eral election. Upon the submission of
the "chancellor-sheriff act to the vot-
jority, thus clearly indicating their
preference for that act rather than for
the other act passed at the same SEES
sion. The constitutionality of the
"chancellor-sheriff act has been at
tackled and is now before our courts, a
justice of the supreme court having
declared 1t unconstitutional because of
the state wide referendum. and an APP
peal is now pending in the court of APP
peals. The question of the adoption of
this act having been decided by the
voters in unmistakable terms, there
cannot be the slightest question as to
the duty of the legislature in the prem
ises or any room for other argument
as to what kind of jury reform this
state desires. There may be some
matters of mere detail in the "chancel-
l~or-sheriff act which need correction,
but the obligation of the legislature to
pass the bill again without a referen-
dunn is so plain. that it Is idle to do
more than set forth the facts.
Approves Amendments.
Two constitutional amendments are
suggested. both of which | approve
and which think have the approval
of a very large majority of our citi-
zens. The first will provide for a more
liberal method of amending the consti-
tuition by submitting any proposed
amendment, after it has passed two
sessions of the legislature. to the yot-
ers at the following general election
instead of a special election, as now
required. and by eliminating the pres
en- constitutional prohibition against
voting on amendments oftener than
once In five years. The second amend
ment to which | refer relates to the
creation of assembly districts in those
counties entitled to more than one as
semblyman. Under our system of
nomination and election 1t is possible
that candidates fer assembly can be
nominated and Elected from one sec
ton of the county, leaving the bal
ance thereof unrepresented, and that
the assemblymen elected may all rep
resent one political party or a faction
of a party. The creation of assembly
districts will make the first impossible
and lessen the possibility of theo other.
Various attempts to pass a constitu-
tional act under which our counties
may be governed by a small board OF
fr%eeholders have failed, mainly be-
cause this legislation has been compli-
Gated by the enactment of many Avs
and by many court decisions on the
subject. The citizens of those counties
which have adopted the small board
are satisfied with the change, and sew
eral counties now having the large
boards have expressed their desire for
smaller ones. 1t appears to be the
general sentiment of the state that mu-
4 Hp~a2 Dowx 10 - onffaftnn
torily administered by fewer men than
by a large number where responsible
ity for misgovernment is divided be-
tween and shifted from one set of men
to another. l believe it to be the duty
of the legislature to pass a manda tory
bill which will give a small board gov
eminent to all counties.
Many complaints are heard concern
ing our increasing tax burdens. One
reason for the increase is the growing
expenditures of our municipalities, part
of which is due to mandatory acts and
especially to those fixing appropriations
upon a percentage of assessed yalua-
lions. This is improper legislation and
should cease. Another part of the in
crease is due to municipal extrava-
gance which can be checked through
the power of the ballot.
improper Assessments.
Another reason for increased tax
burdens is found In improper methods
Of assessment, and this also results In
inequalities in taxation as between
municipalities and individuals. The
root of this difficulty is in the assessor,
In whose selection the question of At
ness generally plays but a small part
and who receives an inadequate com
pensation for the work he is supposed
to perform. The elected assessor usu-
ally gives poor satisfaction. The av-
erage annual salary in this state is