The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1919-06-27
- WELCOME TO ELIZABETH CTYJJLY "
HASSAUNDERS
LOST HIS SEAT?
Enemies Of PubEsher-Law
Maker Think They Have
His Goat

Has w. O.. Saunders forfeited
his seat in the General Assembly
of North Carolina by reason of
his having accepted the Office of
Chairman Of the Board of Trus-
tees of the State Normal School
for Negroes at Elizabeth City?
That is a question which has
been raised this week. Friends
of Representative Saunders are
showing much concern and
enemies of the Publisher-legis-
lator are chuckling.
Under section Z, Article XIV of the
constitution of North Carolina no per-
son in this State can hold two public
offices at one time. The Supreme
Court has held that when a person
holding an Office, accepts another Of
flee, he ipso facto vacates the office to
which he was first elected.
The question now hinges upon
whether a trustee of a state institution
is a public officer within the meaning
General holds in the affirmative, then
there is every probability that quo
warranto proceedings will be started
| by parties in this city who are hostile
| to Representative Saunders and the
hest interests of the community. The
Gentleman who is making himself act
| i've in the matter is P. G. Sawyer, jun
ior member of the firm Of Aydlett:
! Sawyer & Simpson and Mayor OF Enz-
abeth City under the old machlne ao-
ministration. This same P. G. Sawyer
Recently wrote to the State Tax COM
mission to try to upset the appoint
tment of P. Thompson as Tax Super
visor of Pasquotank, because Thomp-
son held the office of Clerk of the U
S. Court in this city at the time ne
was appointed Tax Supervisor.
So far as this newspaper knows, the
question of a public officials right to
serve on a board of trustees of a schoo
has never been raised in this state oe-
;. fore. No one but a cheap, schemlng
venomous little peanut politician woulo
think of raising such a point
Governor T. w. Beckett, Secretary
of State J. Bryan Grimes, Attorney
General James S. Manning, Secretary
of the Navy Daniels and many mem
hers of the General Assembly appear
on the Board of Trustees OF the Uni
versity of North Carolina. If W.
Saunders has unwittingly tripped ovel
the Constitution of North Carohna
then these greater lights have peer
sprawling for some time.
newsnaper man yesterday, Mr.. Saun
dars said: 81 did not seek the position
on the Board of Trustees of the stat
Normal, nor did I aspire to be cnalr
man of that body. Some one tnousn
T could serve that institution ana TN
< State by being or it's board of trustee
D at this time. 1 accepted the responsl
hilitv because of the opportunity e
I serve. The Office carries with II
3 great deal of hard work and respohsl
bility right at this time ana tnere
no monetary reward for services rem
dared. If any one is distressed oe
cause I hold two offices, L Will siaoi
relinouish the Office of Chairman
tho BOARD of Trustees. I will not stan
h 20 he thrown out of the General AS
= sa,,h,y to crafty the spawn of Gin
e | oarhread Mack, without putting up
= fob+ 7 haven't had my ngntln
s a,7ds on in some time and it m1ght
It i,+eresting for me to give them anotfe
n trial" of +b
), There will be a special session OF TN
= General Assembly some tl1lle
= ,,,,,er Tt would suit the Mack Sa"
s 1,o,, gang very we'll indeed to unsea
i Representative Saunders ana "oi n =
some minion who would upset Tie ooll
(structive legislation which Hepiesen'
alive Saunders secured last "iii'ei'