Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1920-01-04
Commission Form Of Govern
mont and Modification Of
Primary System Outstanding
Features.
HUGE BUILDING PROGRAM
Constitutional Amendments Ad.
vocate Increase Of Supreme
Court, Additional Bond Limit
and Water Power Control.


teenth session, did two things that
mark an epoch in Idaho history. 1t
instituted the commission form Of gov
eminent in the state. and 1t modified
the direct primary law by a return to
the convention system for selection of
party candidates for state and judicial
offices.
The commission form Of government
Is now undergoing its test, under the
greatest economic obstacles that any
form of state government ever faced.
The eyes Of the nations greatest states
men are upon Idaho watching the de-
velopment of this new form of state
government.
The new election system, in reality
a cross between the old convention plan
and the direct primary, will get its
test next summer.
cENTRALlzEs POWER
The commission form Of government
has centralized the executive power of
the state into nine departments: de-
partment OF agriculture, department OF
commerce and industry. department of
finance. department Of immigration.
labor and statistics, department of law
enforcement. department OF public
instruction, department of public well
fare, department of public works, de-
partment of reclamation. Besides these
there were in existence at the time OF
the adoption of the commission form of
government, the state department OF
education of which the executive Of
ficer is the state commissioner OF ed
ucation, and the state land department.
OF which the state land commissioner
Is the executive official.
Through these departments, the gov
ernor, the states supreme executive
exercises his administrative powers:
that is, except as to the education de-
$685. xrVtnt LIB f.- tod oAV
arate administration unit.
DISTINCT UNITS
The departments are distinct from
the state elective offices, which, be-
side that of governor are, attorney gen.
eral, state superintendent of public in
struction, treasurer, secretary Of state
and auditor.
Since Governor Davis recommended
to the legislatur the adoption of this
form of government and since he
drafted in general the scheme now I'M
der operation. the Idaho form has come
to be know as the Davis law.
Briefly the provisions OF the new
primary law are as follows;
PRIMARY LAW
Primary elections will be held the
second Tuesday of August, 1920, and BIZ
ennially thereafter, for nomination of
county candidates and district Judges,
lOI TIC ticCtlOb Va piCIihNt SOAh-
mitteemen, and election of delegates to
attend the county convention.
County conventions are to be held the
third Tuesday of August, following the
primary election, at which the dele
gates from the precincts will select
delegates to the state convention and
q member Of the state central COM
mittee.
The state central committee will or
gsnize on the fourth Tuesday in Aug
ust, and on the same day the state
convention of each political party vii
be held at such an hour as the state
central committees Of the respective
parties may determine.
ORDER OF SELECTION
The convention adopts a platform
and selects party candidates in the fol
lowing order: Presidential elector,
during presidential years.; United
States senator, representatives in con
Sress, governor, lieutenant governor
Justice of the supreme court.
Besides these greater laws the 1911
legislature adopted some measures
which, while not of nation wide inter
est, are of almost equal interest In tn
state. Among these, and growing on
of the commission form of government
was the creation Of the state con
stabulary.
The state constabulary is brancl
under the department of law enforce
ment. The Idaho form of constsbular
Is a distinct type. 1t Is the most flex
ible peace organization in tho Unite
States. Being composed. since It's in
ception OF only four men, 1t can be ex
banded overnight to 100 men or more
Besides the designated permanent of
ficials, the state constabulary con
sists Of "all officers Of the state. coun
ties and municipalities who possess tn
every sheriff. deputy sheriff, policeman
marshal and constable in the state. ]
the performance Of their duties. say
the law, they may call to their assist
anse any member Of the state con
stabulary "or any other person
INCREASE SUPREME COURT
Another important act OF the la.
legislature was its provision for In
creasing the state supreme court mem
bership from three to five. This PFC
visions brings to the Idaho voters tn
priyileRe OF creating next fall two ne
state offices and at the same time I
electing men to fill them. At the sam
time the voters act upon the const
tutfonal amendment to increase I'll
court membcrship they will also vol
upon men to fill the new places. TIL
8 Is rather unique In the history Of Ida
ho elections. Instead Of permitting II
rreafion Of two new offices to be file
~ appointment, the legislature gave q
nolitical parties an even break by a
ranging for the people to do the ~
pointing themselves. u they see ut
ratify the amendment making the ne
positions.
The act providing for the election
two candidates provides that II Il
officeg are created tho now judges sha
800 office on tho first Monday In Jai
nary. 1921, and shall receivc the san
compensation and be empowered WI
~ conferred by law upon the preset
Snaficeg, One justice will be elect,
+ ~ four years and one for six years.
y. II 4 building way, the last legisll
4 1nre inauGnsated The sssatest progra