The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-06-09
MCCONNELL WANTS TO KNOW
MEANING OF THEREOF"
Asks Newspapers to Define Term
Gives Own Definition.

o the puDnC press OF 1QdnO:
Gentlemen-It will, | presume, be
conceded that the editors and writer's
on our daily and weekly papers have
as class more intimate knowledge
of the English language than those
who follow other vocations; hence
| their definition of the meaning of an
English sentence is more likely to be
correct than a similar Interpretation
made by an average lawyer.
Believing the foregoing to be true
for the purpose of promoting unifor-
nifty of opinion | respectfully ask you
to print and comment upon the follow
ing, that the general public may arrive
at correct conclusion.
A difference of opinion exists as to
the intent of the trainers of Sec III,
:. Article VIII of the constitution of
Idaho, which is in part as follows:
Sec. 3, mo county. city, town town
ship, board of education or school dis
trict, or other subdivision of the state,
shall incur any Indebtedness or liabil-
ity, etc" without the assent of two
thirds Of the qualified electors thereof,
voting at an election to be held for
that purpose, etc.
What does the word thereof"
meano When we speak of a village
or district and the electors thereof,
what do we mean by the word there
Of? Do we mean what we say? or
do we mean only certain few of the
residents? Webster defines the word
thereof as meaning "of that" or that
! place Therefore may we not reason-
ably conclude that the trainers of CUR
constitution followed the definition
given by Webster, and when they
wrote "two-thirds of the qualified cleo
tor thereof, voting at an election" etc.
they meant what the language, accord
ing to Webster, conveys: two-thirds
of the electors of that district or that
place?
The eleventh session of the Idaho
Legislature passed an act which was
approved March 7. 1911, providing
that if majority of two-thirds of the
votes cast at a bonding election were
Bonds Yes" the trustees must issue
such bonds. See Sec. l7-77, Chapter
l59. Session Laws 1911. AS will be
understood this provision of law is not
in harmony with the provisions of
Sec. II, Article 8, of Our state consti-
tuition. hence is void; yet many school
districts have been bonded in Idaho,
under the authority supposed to be
vested in the Trustees under that act,
and the Idaho State Land Board, &C
cording to recent report of the State
Treasurer, has invested in such bonds
81, 349. 326.69, of which 81 ,754, 1898 be-
longs to the general school fund of
the state, the children, who are solely
dependent upon the manhood and wo-
manhood of our citizenship to protect
their interests; hence appeal to the
public press of the state to unite in
giving publicity to the danger which
threatens.
| was a member of the convention
which framed the constitution of Ida
no and also chairman of the committee
on schools and school lands, therefore
speak advisedly when | state that
when the convention adopted Sec. III
Article VIII, of the constitution they
did so with full understanding of
, the meaning of the sentence two
, thirds of the electors thereof voting
at an election to be held for that pur-
( pose" and | stand ready to maintain
t before any bench OF lawyers or any
: court that it was the intent of the fra
mers of that section that no less than
a two-thirds of the electors thereof OF
J any legal subdivision of the state
should be competent to bond their
district, or other legal subdivision
therefore if the school bonds which
have been purchased bv the Idaho
; State Land Board were not authorized
by two-thirds of the authorized cleo
tors of the school districts issuing said
bonds they are invalid, and if so, loss
is inevitable; in which event the tax.
| payers will eventually be required tc
+ make good such loss.
5 My contention in this matter may
be verified by any person, who cares
, Tor the interests of the children and
E taxpayers. by reading the debates
e which occurred in the Constitutional
l Convention. An open discussion oil
, this matter might prove to be of inter.
S est to other bond-buyers besides oul
State Land Board Let the light shine
, upon the children's heritage
E Very sincerely,
q w. ]. MCCONNELL