Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 66, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1904 — Clerk Major Forwards Resignation. [ARTICLE]

Clerk Major Forwards Resignation.

To Take Effect Saturday April 30th. Cjunty Clerk John F. Major, Wednesday sent the resignation of his offiao to Governor Durbin, to take effect on Saturday, April 30th. This is four days before hie original term of office expires, and eight months before it would ex-* pire were an act of the legislature of 1901 held good, and another of 1903 held bad, and both of which are now on trial for their lives, so to speak, in the Supreme court. The law of 1901 was designed to extend the terms of various county officers until the first of January following the time it would regularly expire. This would have lengthened Mr. Major’s term eight months. The law called the offi ie the ‘'county clerk.” The oonsti tutijft calls it "clerk of the court.” On advice that this law was prob ably defective the Republicans nominated and elected Ch tries C. Warner, in 1902, the Democrats making no nomination. The legislature of 1903 passed another law specially legalizing suoh elections as that of Mr. Warners. Now if this law of 1903' should be knocked out and that of 1901 held good, Mr. Major would be legally entitled to hold the office until next January, and the election of Mr. Warner in 1902 would be invalid. But ‘Mr. Maj >r, not only does not want to make .any legal contest for retaining the office, but he actually is in a hurry to get out of it; as his large landed interests in Virginia urgently require his personal attention Therefore that he may be free to move away, and with no possibility of being held responsible for any acts of his successor in the conduct of his office. This is believed to be the best way out of the muddle, and the commissioners will meet the day the resignation takes effect, and appoint Mr Warner to the vacancy. Thus he will b i legally in possession of the offioe, whatever Uwe are held good oi bad. And if it should happen that his election in 19C2is held invalid, he will still be clerk until ue elected again, next November.