Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-12-14
COUNTY OFFICERS IN
JOINT CONVENTION
OVER ANE NDNENT
New Constitutional Amend.
ment Regarding Elections
Deemed Faulty

i Portland, Or, Dec. 14-By an al
most unanimous vote it was decided
Thursday at joint session of the Orc
! gop association of County Judges am
Commissioners, the Oregon association
of District Attorneys and the Oregon
association of County Clerks to ignore
the constitutional amendment provid.
ing for joint city, state and county
elections in all things except holding
the elections next year or the same
date
This provision of the amendment was
deemed self executing and now in
force, but it was the general opinion
that the other provisions requiring one
election board and the same precinct
boundaries are not in force until after
the state legislature and municipalities
have provided the machinery for carry
ing them out.
Text of Adopted Resolution
The resolution embodying the action
OF the Joint convention was worded as
follows:
Resolved, that section 14-a of the
constitution of Oregon requires the
legislature and cities and towns to
enact supplementary legislation to car
ry the provisions of that amendment
into effect and that until such proceed
ure is provided by such legislative
bodies, elections held by the county
and such cities and towns cannot be
successfully held jointly pursuant to
the provisions of said amendment, in
that said amendment is not self exc
cutting.
" Resolved, that setting apart every
small incorporated city and town as
a separate precinct and changing the
precinct boundaries in the larger cities
to correspond with the ward boundaries
insuch cities involves needless expense
and Inconvenience to the voting pub
lie at the present time.'
Only two votes were cast against
the resolution.
Agricultural Agents Indorsed
One of the most discussed questions
in the closing hours of the conference
Of county judges and commissioners
was that of employing county agricul-
tural agents The discussion resulted in
the adoption of vote of IS to l6 Of
4 resolution indorsing the employment
Of these agents to stimulate food pro-
duction. The negative vote was not
significant of opposition to the en-
ployment of agents, but rather ex-
pressed the sentiment that it was a mat
ter for each individual county court !
10 determine.
Another important action of the
county judges and commissioners was |
he unanimous adoption of a resolu-
ion recommending the postponement !
# the construction of expensive high |
Ways and bridges, except in such cases
IS actual needs Of traffic demanded, |
Intil the cost of material and lebor ]
las reached more normal proportions.
Juvenile Court not Considered
Owing to the fact that the associa-
ion will meet again before the as
cf the next legislature no
esOlutiOns relative to juvenile courts
rere proposed. 1t was voted. however,
hat in all cases of transportation of
rOmen or girls TO state institutions a
roman officer should accompany, and
he appointment of these woman off
ars was recommended to the various
ounty courts.
The officers Of the association were
eeleeted as follows:
Rufus C. Holman. MuItnomah coun-
z, president; Judge f. S. Cunning,
7asco county, vice president; Philo I
-olbrook, Multaomah county, secre- |
ny and treasurer. i