Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-11
INTERESTING LEGISLATIVE AND
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS.

1t would be difficult matter to dis
pose OF three more important subjects in
q few words than are considered in the
following judicial and political prophecy
BY the sapent editor of the Rutland
Herald:
I'm purely sporting spirit, the Herald
offers to bet a sap-spout against but
.er-nut that % there will be no special
session of the Legislature, (2) the Gov
ernor will appoint a full supreme court
10 take office in December, and go the
Justices thereof will hold office for two
ears"
If the rewritten State constitution had
provided that the justices of the Su-
oreme Court of Vermont should hold
their offices for two years or until the
ease with all other State officers except
she attorney general, all this trouble
you'd have been avoided Chapter two
IF the constitution might have been re-
written so as to read shall hold their
office two years or longer If need be-"
Just as we'll as to say shall be elected
years or oftener if need be-; and the
5ormer would have been much easier to
garry out for 1t would have avoided the
necessity Of an extra session of the
Legislature as one of it's essential condi-
tons.
In the legislative constitutional shuttle,
Iowever, both the justices of the Su-
creme Court and the encouragement
were lost in this matter OF prolongation
If service until the selection of a success
Dor, probably in the case of the latter
because the attorney generals office Is
he creation Of an act of the Legislature
nj not of the constitution.
Section TWO of the second article OF
amendment Of The constitution recently
rdopted saJr that The Governor, lieu
,e,ant-governor, treasur-r. secretary Of
v:s.e auditor Of accounts, senators. town
Representations, assistan, judges OF the
bounty court, s.eriffr. high bailiffs,
States attorneys, Judge OF probate and
justices of the peace shall be elected
bicnniai.y, IN the first Tuesday next
after the first Monday of November, be-
ginning A. D.. 1871"
Section six G. the same article OF
amendment says: THE persons who
shall be severally elected in 1912 to the
offices mentioned in the article shall hold
yuch offices until the term OF their sue
cessors elected the first Tuesday next
after the first Monday of November,
A. D., 1914 shall begin as herein pro-
yidcd."
Section 90 of the public statutes of
Vermont passed in 1904, and creating the
office Of attorney general, provides that
AN encouragement shall be elected al
the same time and in the same manner
as provided for the election Of other
State officers, who shall be sworn, and
whose term of office shall be for tive
years, beginning on the first day of De
cember following his election. A vacancy
In such office shall be filled by the Gov
ernor."
The question now arises whether the
amendments to the constitution pushes
the beginning of the term of the attor
ney-general to be elected next Novembe
along with other State officers and thu
Legraia ture into next year, leaving Z
vacancy in the meantime, or whether thu
legislative act and not the constitution
will govern, leaving the Legislature FREE
to abolish the office, If it sees nt whel
it convenes ON the first Wednesday %
January
VI the office should prove to be vacant
an interesting dilemma for the Governo
would present itself How could the Gov
o:nor appoint an encouragement Il