ART. 23] PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. 261

ordered filed, and be shall be responsible to it for the safe custody and
preservation of all such documents at its office. Under the direction of
the commission, the secretary shall have general charge of its office,
superintend the clerical business and perform such other duties as the
commission may prescribe. He shall have power and authority to
administer oaths in all parts whatsoever of the State, so far as the
exercise of such power is properly incidental to the performance of
his duties or that of the commission. The secretary shall designate
from time to time one of the clerks appointed by the commission to
perform the duties of secretary during his absence, and during such
time the clerk so designated shall, at the office, possess the powers of
the secretary of the commission. The annual salary of the secretary
shall be three thousand dollars ($3,000).

The commission shall have the power, subject to the approval, in
writing, by the governor, in each and every instance, to employ such
officers, clerks, stenographers, typewriters, inspectors, experts and em-
ployees as it may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this sub-
title or to perform the duties and exercise the powers conferred by law
upon the commission; no person, however, shall be appointed or em-
ployed by the commission in any position whatsoever, unless the com-
mission shall certify to the governor that it deems such appointment
or employment, and the compensation or annual salary which it pro-
posed shall be paid in each instance, actually necessary for carrying
out the purposes and requirements of this sub-title, and unless the gov-
ernor shall thereupon approve in writing such appointment or employ-
ment, and such compensation or annual salary or salaries. If in any
case the commission can not ascertain in advance the value of any
service to be rendered to it or the proper compensation to be paid
therefor, it shall certify such fact to the governor, who may authorize
the employment or acquisition of the service in question, leaving the
value or compensation thereof to be ascertained by subsequent agree-
ment or adjustment.

Each commissioner and each person appointed to office or employ-

ment by the governor or by the commission, with the approval of the
governor, or by the general counsel to the commission, shall before enter-
ing upon the duties of his office or employment, take and subscribe to
the constitutional oath of office. No person shall be eligible for appoint-
ment or shall hold the office of commissioner, or be appointed by the
commission, or by the general counsel to the commission to or hold any
office or position under the commission, who holds any official relation
to any common carrier, railroad corporation, street railroad corpora-
tion, gas corporation, electrical corporation, telephone corporation, tele-
graph corporation, water company, heat and refrigerating company,
transportation of property or freight company, or other public service
corporation subject to any of the provisions of this sub-title, or whop

own stocks or bonds therein, or who has any pecuniary interest therein.