Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-03-02

rArsssh its washington CORE
s,ondent the Optic, has received :
copy Of the draft Of the proposed
statehood bill admitting New Mexico
and Arizona The most important
sections follow:
A bill to enable the people OF New
Mexico and Arizona to form q con-
stitution and state government and
be admitted into the Union on equal
footing with the original states.
Be it enacted by the senate and
house Of representatives Of the United
States Of America In congress assem-.
bled, that the inhabitants OF all that
part of the area of the United States
now constituting the territories Of
Arizona and New Mexico, as at pres
ent described, may become the state
of Arizona, as hereinafter provided.
Sec. That all qualified electors Of
said territories, respectively, as de
scribed in this act, are hereby author.
lied to vote for and choose delegates
10 form convention for said terrific
ries; such delegates shall possess the
qualifications Of such electors. The
aforesaid convention shall consist OF
one hundred aud seventy-nine dele
gates. based on population OF one
thousand nine hundred and fifty,
or fraction of four hundred
or over, for each delegate,
according to the last census
in New Mexico and Arizona made by
the United States apportioned among
the several counties within the limits
of the proposed state: and the gov
ernors, respectively. of said terrific
ries shall within twenty days after
the approval Of this act by the presi-
dent Of the United States, by procla-
nation order an election OF the dele
gates aforesaid In their respective
territories, to. be held on the seventh
Tuesday after the approval Of this act
as aforesaid; and the proper officials,
as now provided by law in each Of
said territories. respectively, shall Inn
mediately upon the issuance OF such
proclamations. make, or cause to be
made, as the case may be. 10 time
for the election. q supplemental or
general registration, al may be nec-
essary, OF the male citizens OF the
United States over the age OF twenty.
one years who shall have resided In
said territories. respectively. for six
months, and In the precinct. ward. OF
election district where they are y
vote thirty days next preceding the
date fixed for said election. whose
names shall be placed upon or added
to the great registers, or registration
lists, as the case may be. exhibiting
the names Of the qualified voters oi
said territories, respectively. And the
persons so qualified shall be entitled
TO be SO registered and to vote foi
delegates to the constitutional con
yention. Such election for delegate!
shall be conducted, the returns made
and the certificates Of persons electe'
"a such convention issued. as nea
as may be, in the same manner as I
prescribed by the laws of said terri
tories, respectively, regulating elec
tions therein of members Of the legis
lature. Provided, that the secretary
or other proper officer, of the terrific
nv OF Arizona. into whose hands tn,
result Of said election in the territor,
OF Arizona finally comes, shall imme
diately transmit and certify the sam
10 the secretary OF the territory Q
New Mexico. at Santa Fe. Person
possessing the qualifications entitlin
them to vote for delegates to the COZ
stitutIonal convention under this ac
shall be entitled to vote on the ratif
cation or rejection Of the constitution
submitted to the people Of said terr
tories hereunder. and on the electio
Of all oficials whose election Is takin
place at the same time. under sue
rules or regulations as said conventio
may prescribe, not 10 conflict with TIL
act: Provided, That said same regil
tration lists shall answer for both Q
al such elections.