Government.— The supreme executive power of the State is vested in a governor, who shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed? He must be 30 years of age and for five years next preceding his election a citizen of the United States, and of this State. His term of office is fixed at four years, Some of his powers are: Giving the general assem bly information by message of the condition of the State at the commencement of each session, and recommending such measures as he deems expedient; convening, by proclama tion, the general assembly upon extraordinary occasions; removing officers of his appoint ment for incompetency, neglect of duty or mal feasance in office; and granting reprieves, com mutations or pardons after conviction for all offenses. He is commander-in-chief of the military and naval• forces of the State —ex cept when they are called into the service of the United States. He has a qualified veto power upon all bills passed by the general assembly, but bills may be passed over his veto by a two-thirds vote of each House. In case of his death, resignation, or conviction upon impeachment, the duties of his office fall upon the lieutenant-governor, who acts as president of the Senate. He, with the secretary of state, the attorney-general, the auditor of public ac counts, the treasurer and the superintendent of public instruction, is elected in the same manner, and except the treasurer, for the same length of time as the governor; the treasurer's term is two years.
A significant change for efficient and eco nomic government, which marks Illinois as the leader in this respect went into effect 7 March 1917. The primary object of the new law — "The Civil Administrative Code"— of Illinois was to reorganize and consolidate the numer ous state administrative officers, boards and commissions into a limited number of state departments as in the national government. Nine principal departments — finance, agricul ture, labor, mines and minerals, public works and buildings, public welfare, public health, trade and commerce, registration and educa tion — are created. These departments will ab sorb the functions of 40 executive officers, 50 boards and commissions, and a larger number of subordinate officials. All of the officials are appointed by the governor with the con sent of the senate and for a term of four years (with the exception of the normal school board). Seyeral new positions are created, and the more important officers receive larger salaries — the directors receive from $5,000 to $7,000 each. The net reduction in official positions, however, is about 100. Persons in the classified service are assigned to posi tions in the new departments. At the head of each department is a director. Under the
directors there are subordinate officials. These are: In the department of finance, four divi sional heads; in the department of agriculture, besides a food standard commission, an assist ant director and six divisional heads; in the department of labor, besides an industrial com mission consisting of five officers, an assistant director and three divisional heads; in the de partment of mines and minerals, an assistant director, a mining board consisting of four officers and the director of the department, and a miners' examining board of three officers; in the department of public works and build ings, an assistant director and eight divisional heads: in the department of public welfare, an assistant director and six divisional heads; in the department of public health, an assistant director; in the department of trade and com merce, an assistant director and four divisional heads, besides the public utilities commission consisting of five officers; and in the department of registration and education, an assistant direc tor, a superintendent of registration and a nor mal school board consisting of 10 officers with the director of the department and the superin tendent of the public instruction. Advisory and non-executive boards were created as follows: A board of .agricultural advisors and a board of state fair advisors, a general board of free employment advisors and local boards, five ad visory boards in the department of public works, a hoard of public welfare commis sioners, a board of public health advisors, and two advisory boards in the department of edu cation and registration. The qualifications, powers and duties of all directors, assistant directors, division heads and members of ad visory boards are specified in the law. The salaries of the officers created are also specified.
but it is provided that members of advisory and non-executive boards shall not receive salaries. The law specifies the hours during which all public offices are to be kept open. The director of each department has authority to prescribe all necessary regulations for the conduct of his office. The Civil Service Law was not repealed, but no director needs to or should retain more employees than are neces sary. All fees and funds received by any state officer or department are to be paid into the treasury within 10 days after their receipt. The governor is to submit to the general as sembly, within four weeks after its organiza tion, a budget containing the amounts recom mended by him for the respective departments, offices and institutions and for all other public purposes together with the estimated total rev enues and the amount to be raised by taxation.