Bisbee daily review., 1919-01-02
COUNTY OFFICERS. FACE BIG PUZZLE
 IN TAKING PLACES.

Faced by counter opinions and de-
 cisions. with sudden possibility that
 their plans will be frustrated, with indccision if they can legally proceed and win numerous other puzzling sit
 nations, county officers of Cochise county who have planned to take over their offices this morning, last night had not reached a decision as to what should be done Attorney Gen eral Wiley E. Jones opened the Pan dora box" on the day preceding when he ruled informally that they cannot take office until January 6.
 Plans made for turning over the office of the board of supervisors were last night in the air Sheriff Guy C.. Weich, wno becomes the county treas urer, faced the possibilities of holding two offices at once with the responsi- bilities of the county funds forced on him by the departure for Phoenix of H. s. Ross. Sheriff James F. McDon- aid, wnO has completed arrangements for opening his office, is in the same quandary
 Attorney Generals Opinion.
 Attorney General Jones handed down his opinion at the request of C. B. Wilson, county attorney of Co conino county, and declared that sher- ifs, county recorders, county treas urers, county assessors, county attor- neys, county school superintendent and members Of the boards of super visors will all be prohibited from as- suming jurisdiction of their respective offices until January 6. The opinion Is based on Section of Article I2. of the state constitution, which provides that the county officers above men, toned shall take office on the first Monday in January, 1913 The con- stitution provides for the revision of this \section by enactment of laws. | but such change has never been made. the attorney general says.
 Nearly every newly elected officer . in the state has made plans for talk ing over his respective duty today. and all or nearly all have properly | qualified by taking their oaths of office and filing the necessary bond. . This is especially true in Cochise county. |
 One Ray of Hope.
 One ray of hope remains to the newly elected officers-that the same action will be taken in this county as has already been taken in Maricopa. The Review last night inquired into the scope of the attorney generals opinion, and into its effect in Mari copa. Through the Associated Press the following information was ob- tained:
 Attorney General Jones gave an informal opinion on Monday that the incoming county officials would take office on Monday, January 6. I'm mediately thereafter County Attorney Laney pointed out that the law spe- fixed January 1 as the day for change of office; that only the term of the governor ends on January 6. The view of the county attorney has been accepted by all of the county officers of this county. The new sheriff took charge of his office today and the other offices, which are not open on holidays, will be changed tomorrow"
 May Follow Example.
 lt is entirely possible that the county attorney of Cochise may fol low the example of Maricopa's prose cutor. and that officers of this county will proceed with their plans as previously made this morning. How ever. in this connection it Is the opinion of legal authorities that if the attorney general rules officers cannot assume their duties until Jan. lary 6, the attorney generals word should be followed" The fact that he attorney generals opinion is in- formal, however. leaves an easy loop- hole for the county attorney, as in Maricopa county
 Charles M. Roberts, supervisor. iaid:
 "The new board will meet to or .. sanize tomorrow morning. according 70 our present plans As to what we shall follow, l can only say that we