The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1922-12-28
COUNTY OFFICERS
CHANGE JANUARY |
Only Two Changes in Courthouse
Here, With Doubt Expressed
That Men Are Elected for
a Years Instead of 2

have crept into the plans for the
swearing in of Humboldt county
officials, in two respects. The first
doubt is whether the officers will
take their oaths of office on Janu-
ary l or wait until January 5. when
the county commissioners meet.
But this doubt, matter of only a
few days, is nothing compared with
the question raised as to whether
county officials are elected for four
years or for two years.
AT election time the men who ran
for office thought they were being
elected for four years, and per-
haps they were. Up to the time the
legislature passed law two years
ago, declaring that all county Off
Gals except county commissioners
were to be elected for four years.
the officials had been used to con
testing for their offices every two
years. A sigh of relief was emitted
by all of them after they had been
elected for what they thought would
be four-year term, because under
the two-year scheme it was neces-
sary to keep continually at the job
of doing politics, and doing politics
is no easy job. Besides the expense
Of running for office, through the
primary and general election scheme,
is nothing to be sneezed at.
And now some wretch who would
take all the joy out of life has come
70 the front with the question: "Is
the four-year election law passed by
the legislature constitutional" If
it should be declared unconstitu-
tional it would be necessary for the
men who now think they are elected
for four years to again run for
office two years hence, all of which
would be terrible blow. 1t must
be said that the contention that
four-year terms are unconstitutional
has considerable merit, on its face,
for it is said that the different
offices are created by constitutional
action, and that the terms of office,
as set by the constitution, are for
two years. 1t is claimed that the
legislature canot pass law capable
of superceding the constitution, and
if it is desired so to do the only
way open is to start the regular
machinery to moving which will
amend said state constitution. Not
being a lawyer and without further
investigation, The Silver State is
not prepared to say that such con-
tention is accurate, and we are not
prepared to say that it is not, but
it certainly sounds reasonable. To
amend the constitution requires the
vote of the people.
County Clerk Davey had prepared
to administer the oath of office to
the duly elected men on next Janu-
airy s, as has been the practice dur
ing former years, when the old
board of county commissioners
would gather to approve their min
utes of the last meeting and turn
over the reins to the incoming
board. Now it has been called to
attention that another law passed
by the last legislature makes it
mandatory for the old board of
commissioners to meet on January
1, even though it may be a holiday
to sign certain papers, and this, it
is said, makes it necessary for
officeholders to be sworn in on that
date. Clerk Davey is to look up the
law in question and decide whether
the oaths shall be administered
January l or January 5.
After the smoke of battle has
cleared away sufficiently for men to
get their clear perspective, it is
found that only two changes were
made in the official personnel OF
the courthouse, all the rest of the
old officers having been reelected
The two changes are to be F. R
O'Leary who will take the place OF
r. f. Tilden as county surveyor
and c. X. Norris of Orovada who
will take the place of J. |. Peter
'on of Golconda as county commits
;ioner, short term. All of the rest
# the officials were either re-elect
ID, or hold-over. or were without
opposition in the election, and The
list will be made up as follows:
Mrs. Cora Hoenstine, county treas
urer, reelected.
James Ritchie, justice of th'
peace, reelected.
N. P. Moore, constable, reelected
Moore had held the office of consta
ole prior to election by virtue o
appointment by the county com
missioners following the murder o
Constable Jack Nelson.
Chas. G.. Smith assessor, unop
posed.
Frank O'Leary, surveyor.
Frank German, recorder, re
elected.
l.. G. Wilson, district attorne!
, reelected. II. Warren, however
has contested this election and mo-
, has the case in court.
: Hon. j. A. Callahan, distri'