Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-12-05
LEGISLATION MEETS JAN 18TH
State Officers Elect Take Oaths on
Monday, January LIST.


Monday, January LIST.
For the first time in the history of
the state, in 1917, the legislature
will not be inaugurated on the same
day as state officials. This is due
to the fact that the first Monday
in January, 1917, happens to be Jan.
u. On Monday, Jan. /, state of
ficials-elect will, upon taking their
oaths of office and filing them with
the secretary of state, automatically
come into possession of the office to
which they have been elected and
those whom they succeed will as
automatically retire from office. The
customary ceremony of swearing in
state officials before the legislature
will not be gone through next year,
for they will have been in office a
week before the legislature convenes.
That body does not take office and
organize until Jan. 8.
Relative to elective state officials
taking office section l of article 4
of the constitution of the state says:
"The executive department shall con-
sist of governor, lieutenant govern
or, secretary of state, state auditor,
state treasurer, attorney general and
superintendent of public instruction,
all of whom shall hold his office
for two years beginning on the first
Monday in January next after his
election"
Regarding the converting of the
Legislature section of article of
the constitution provides: "The ses-
sions of the legislature shall, after
the first session thereof, be held BIZ
ennially, at the capital of the state
commencing on the first Monday
after the first day of January and
every second year thereafter unless
different day shall have been APP
pointed by law and at other times
when convened by the governor"
1t will be noticed that the first
section of the constitution quoted
sets forth state officials shall hold
office "for two years beginning on
the first Monday in January" after
their election while the second sec
ton quoted regarding the converting
of the legislature sets forth ses-
sions of the legislature shall be held
biennially commencing on the first
Monday after the first day of Jan
uary." January 1, 1917, falling on
Monday, the Legislature, therefore,
does not meet until a week later.
It has been customary to make the
convening of the legislature and the
Inauguration of state officials every
two years a notable event in the
history of the state. The officials
have usually been sworn in just be-
fore the legislature met, as provided
by the constitution, at noon on the
Monday following the first day of
January, the chief justice of the
state first giving the oath of office
to the state officials and later to
the members-elect to the legislature.
This has been customary so far as
the state officials are concerned but
not mandatory. The constitution
provides that state officials must
take their oath of office and file
such an oath and bond with the sec
rotary of state. This oath can be
taken before a duly appointed and
recognized notary public, it was said
at the statehouse today and no fur
Their ceremony aside from filing it.
is necessary for the official-elect to
step into his office on and after
midnight of Jan. 1, 1917.
When the second term of Governor
Steunenberg opened in this state
Jan. fell on Sunday, New Years
day, and as this day is a legal holi-
day, and was then, the Monday fol-
lowing was observed as a holiday
as has been customary with regard
to holidays falling on Sunday. The
legislature met on Monday, however
was sworn in at noon, organized
and adjourned to the following day
This is the nearest instance in the
history of the state the Legislature
has come to not converting on the
first Monday in January.