The Coconino sun., 1923-01-05
ATTY. GENERAL WOULD
HAVE MANY CHANGES
In LAWS OF THE STATE

In his final report Atty. Gen. Gal
braith recommended many changes in
our organic law as we'll as the civil
code. In part he recommends:
"Our constitution itself could well
be amended along the lines of the
organic part of our government We
have in mind in this connection the
elimination of large number OF
elective offices and the cutting down
| of needless expenses called for in
our present constitution. 1t is quite
conceivable that the election of a
governor and auditor or treasurer
would be sufficient, and let the gov
ernor appoint the other executive of
ficers. The secretary Of states office
could we'll be abolished ana a lieu
tenant-governor appointed by the gov
ernor when the governor leaves the
state from time to time. 1t is quite
conceivable that we could do away
with the election of legislative repre-
sentatives and substitute for them the
members of the boards of supervisors
from the various counties. In any
event it is my recommendation that
the legislature meet one year after
the governor takes office. This would
give the governor an opportunity for
at least one years experience before
making his recommendations to the
legislature.
"Acts of the legislature should not
take effect, in my opinion, until July
1st following, except for emergency
legislation. July 1st is when our fis-
cal year begins, and gives more op-
portunity for the people to familiar
ize themselves with the law and for
the laws to be printed and published.
'Our constitutional and statutory
laws in reference to taxation should
be corrected, and particularly with
reference to the taxation of mines and
mining property.
with regard to the board of par
dons and paroles and work in connec-
tion with the penitentiary, it is my
firm belief that the present system of
the board of pardons and paroles
should be abolished. After two years
of experience | am opposed to the
present system. If we are to have
a board of pardons and paroles at all /
it would appear to be much better and
more advisable to have a board ap-
pointed by a responsible power, to
sit for term of six years, the first
members to sit for two, four and SIX
years respectively, new member to
De appointed every two years. The
BOARD should not consist of elective
officers sitting ex-officio, as at pres
mt.
II believe that every member of
he present board of pardons and par
lies is opposed to the present system.
''In my opinion the law relative to
rood time credits to the prisoner in
he penitentiary should be abolished.
food time credits should be a matter
eft to the board of pardons and par
les. Also in connection with prison /
RS in penal institutions, | rec
ommend and strongly urge the pass
ng of a law to the effect that any
nan who had once previously been
onvicted of felony, upon conviction
n this state of felony, shall auto !
natically be sentenced for life and
is case then left in the hands of the
oard of pardons and paroles. | can J
ee no good reason why, when man !
as once been convicted of felony
nd served his time and has not learn
d his lesson but has again gone out I
nd preyed upon the public and again |.
cen convicted of felony, he should
hereafter be turned loose upon the !
ublic until he has established salts
actorily to an experienced board of :
ardons and paroles that he is again
rorthy of being turned at liberty !
mong his fellow men.
''It would also seem that in those
asses where personal sureties are al
,wed to go on public bonds, partic- 7
larly bonds securing the state and :
ounty, the persons so signing as sure
' should execute a first mortgage on
leir real estate to secure their bond, .
therwise when the pinch comes their y
ormer financial status seems to have 4
lvariably dissolved to the detriment .