The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-10-09

the Columbia river. the products q
which have annually been claimed 10y
auei ghboripg State and embvacel in it:
tables ot exports.
STATE GOVERNMENT.
IL order 10 carry ont the wish O. the
people. expressed OF the preceding gen
eral election. the last Legislative As.
se:nbly made provisions for Constitu.
tional Convention to assemble at the
/ city of Walls Walla on the llth day oil
June, AID. 1873. to frame constitution
for the State of Washington and for the
! submission of the same to the people OF
! the Territory, for ratification or rejec-
+ tion. A. u special election held on the
9;h day of April, AID. 1873, fifteen del
! egateS to this convention were chosen
/ from this Territory, and one from the
/ counties of Idaho. Shoshone and Nez
| Perces, in the Territory of Idaho.
+ The convention assembled at the
time provided by law. and after a ses
sion of forty days adopted constitu-
tion and three separate articles which
were submitted for ratification or rejec
tion to the legal voters of this Territory
and of the counties Of Idaho. Shoshone
and Nez Perces, in the Territory of
Idaho, at the general election held on
the 9Th day of November. 1873.
The separate articles referred to were
a. follows:
sEPARATE ARTICLE NO. |.
No person, who is otherwise 4 quail
i i clcctor, shall be denied the right
10 vote III this State on account of sex,
anything in this constitution to the con.
trary Notwithstanding.
SEPARATE ARTICLE NO. >.
No person shall be denied the right.
Oh account of sex, to vote or hold office
in this State; nor shall such right be
in any manner abridged on account
Of sex.
SEPARATE ARTICLE NO. ).
1t shall be lawful for the electors Of
any county, municipal corporation or
precinct, not included within tho cor
porate limits of any municipality, at
any general election, to prohibit by a
majority vote the sale or disposal of
spirituous liquors in less quantities
than one gallon, except for medicinal
or mechanical purposes. And the
Legislature shall pass, at its first ses-
sion, such laws as will carry into effect
this article, if adopted.
These articles were rejected by the
people. The constitution was. however,
adopted by ma ority Of all the votes
cast at the election; and on the 2S;h
day Of December, AID. 1878. i'll Con-
fOrmity with tho provisions of the law.
| issued my proclamation declaring the
fact
A bill was introduced at the last ses-
sion Of the forty fth Congress. by Hon
Orange Jacobs. for the admission Of the
State Of Washington with this constitu-
tion. The bill was referred to the
Committee on Territo.> :. but no further
action was taken on tie bill during that
Congress.
Although the bill was introduced at
the earliest practicable moment after
the ratification of the constitution by
the people was officially declared, def,
mite action was not expected at that
session, owing to the fact that it's intro
duction was 50 near the final adjourn
ment of tha. Congress.
A similar bill was introduced at the
first session Of the forty-siXth Congress
by Hon Thomas II B,ents. This bill
was also referred to the Committee on
Territories. where it is now pending. |
L. lnH Co.
which l can predicate an opinion as to
the result of this movement in the
present Congress. That our people
desire admission as State is clearly
evidenced by the result of the election
three years since. on the question of
calling constitutional convention, and
the election last year, at which the
constitution was ratified. Five States
have in the past been admitted with q
population less, respectively, than we
have. Our population is permanent.
and, i'll this respect, dissimilar from the
population of many other Territories.
The aggregate value Of taxable property
in this Territory is amply sufficient,
with moderate rate Of taxation. to
support the additional burdens which
Statehood will impose. This is an i'm
portant point. Our ability to sustain
State government depends more upon
the amount Of our taxable property
than upon the number of inha bltants.
Our manufacturing. mining. agricultu-
raj and commercial resources are being
rapidly developed, and our population
is rapidly increasing. Whether these
considerations, or any Others which may
be offered. will induce the present Con-
gress TO consent to our admission as u
State, is question which the future
only can determine.
REPORTS.
The reports Of the Superintendent Of
Common Schools. Regents Of the Uni
versity, Trustees of the Hospital for the
Insane, Fish Commissioner. Board Of
Pilot Commissioners for the Columbia
river and Librarian, which will be laid
before you, will give full and complete
information in reference TO the opera
tions of their departments and in regard
to the needed legislation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE APPoRTIoSMENr
An act Of Congr ess, approved June
10Th, 1873, imposes the duty upon the
present Legislative Assembly Of divid.
ing the Territory into Council aud
Representative districts. according to
the provisions of the act Ii also