Bisbee daily review., 1902-12-10
PIONEERS ASK
 FOR STATEHOOD
PASS RESOLUTIONS FOR sENA-
 TOR sEvERlDGE
Believe Sorae Portions of Omnibus Statehood Bill Were Prepared
 Hastily and Want Them Changed

Hastily and Want Them Changed
 Probably the most important result of the visit Of the senate statehood con yni;tee to Tucson was the action of the Arizona Pioneers, which had held a meeting the day previous as the result Of previous meetings and at which it adopted a series Of reso- lutions touching the admission of Ari- zona to statehood. These resolutions were presented to the senate commit tee by Hon. s R. DeLong, president of the society. which the committe ac- cepted with thanks and flied for con- alteration.
 Following is the letter of transmits sion and the resolutions presented to the committee. They all speak for themselves.
 Tucson. Ariz., Nov. IS, 1902.
 Hon. A. l.. Beveridge. United States senator. chairman of committee on territories.
 Sir-By direction of the Arizona Pioneer society I have been requested to presen. to you the accompanying views and sentiments of the society upon the provisions of the pending bill. now before the United States sen ate. in regard to statehood for Okla horaa, Arizona and New Mexico and to respectfully ask the favorable con sideration of your committee.
 I have the honor to be very respect fully your Qbedient servant,
 tSeaD Sidney R. DeLong.
 President oS the Arizona Pioneer
 Society.
 Opinion of the Society of Arizona Pioneers. as defined at full meeting held at their rooms in Tucson, Ari- zona. November IS. 1902. upon the steps that should be taken in regard to the important question of bringing Arizona into the United States as a sovereign state.
 It Is not the intention of this soci- ety to take part as an association in politics: nor is this deemed a political question. but one in which every good citizen ought to feel a deep interest.
 It is presumed that all citizens of Arizona are in favor of statehood, un- der fair and just conditions to all the people interested. regardless of their political or party affiliations.
 There has been bill passed by the house of representatives at the last session and which is now in the sen ate to be acted upon soon after con- ver:ng in December next, for the ad- mission of Oklhoma, New Mexico and Arizola as states of the union. sometimes spoken of as the omnibus bill" While there is much in this bill that the society would consider beneficial to al it would seem in some of its provisions to have, been prepar- ed hastily and without proper consid- eratioa for the rights of the whole people and. therefore. the society would Respectfully suggest that this bill be amended in these particulars before it's final passage or a new bill substituted.
 First-The representation of mem bers for the constitutional convention caAed 10 frame a state constitution should be apportioned among the sev- eral counties Of the territory accord ing to the whole population as declar- ed by the census of 1900, unless new special census se declared and taken by due authority; and it might be con sidered an improvement to increase the whole number of delegates to the constitutional convention from thirty six. as affixed in the bill. to say sixty. In the apportionment by the 'omni- bus bill" the apportionment by a po- litical legislature Of Arizona for its own members was adopted and not ac- cording to the population of the diff ferent counties.
 Second-The society would respect fully suggest that the "bill' be amend ed so that the apportionment for del egates to the constitutional conven- tion be made among the several coun- ties of the territory according to the population by the census of 1900. The governor of the territory, chief justice and secretary of the same shali declare the number of delegates for said convention apporrioned to each county to be voted for.
 Thirc-in taking the census of the people in an election for the adoption or selection of the constitution said election shall be in not less than four months. after said convention shall ad- jouru. after the completion of it's la bors and held for the purpose of yot- ing upon the constitution for UT against ass framed by said constitu- tionai convention
 The vote shIl be flor the constitu- tion" or against the constitution" and no other vote shall be taken for any other subject at that election
 Fourth-ShouId the vote taken upon the constitution be in favor of it's adoption. as framed by the constitu- tional convention. then and in that case the election for state officers, and others to be elected when Arizona becomes a state, shall be at the next general election in 1904, for to call special election would put the people Q aa almost useless expense to reach the same results.