Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1910-06-20
PHOENIX, ARIZONA. JUNE 20, 1910
How to Shorten the Time.

In order to assure the admission OF
Arizona at the next session of con-
gress-which expires by limitation al
noon on the 4th of next March-it will
be necessary to use the utmost eX-
pedition here in completing the va
rious stages of state making which
fall to the people of the territory
We therefore make some suggestions
this morning, which we think will be
helpful.
AS was made clear in the possible
schedule of dates which we printed
last Friday, our constitution may not
reach congress from the president I'M
til about February 27.-This would
give congress but a scant week in
which to approve or disapprove the
constitution, and action might easily
go over until the next session-which
Will convene the 4iiSl NhOhNoJ "a
December of next year. Should this
DELAY occur, Arizona would not be a
state until the spring Of 19l2-nearly
two years from now. Hence it is
plainly our duty to do everything
practicable to shorten the time that is
to be devoted to our part of the work.
The bill will no doubt be approved
today by President Taft.
The first thing that must be done
after the approval of the bill is the
apportionment of delegates TO the
constitutional convention. This is to
be done by the governor, the chief
Justice, and the secretary of the ter
ritory. Governor Sloan will be at
home within a few days; but mean
while there is no .enson why Chief
Justice Kent and Secretary Young
should not complete the actual work
of making the apportionment, so that
its formal completion may be accom-
plished the day Governor Sloan
reaches the capitol.
There is nothing difficult in the
task of making the apportionment.
There are to be So Delegates, and the
bill provides that they shall be ap
portioned "as nearly as may be-
equitably among the several counties
of the territory, in accordance with
the voting population" as shown by
the vote cast for delegate to congress
at the last election.
Next follows the proclamation of
the governor, "in which the aforesaid
apportionment of delegates to- the con-
vention shall be fully specified and
announced" in which proclamation he
will order an election of the delegates
aforesaid
The bill gives the governor thirty
days in which to issue this proclama-
ton, but there is no reason why it
may not be prepared at the capitol
this week, and issued on Saturday,
the 25th, at. the latest, as the COVER
nor will undoubtedly be here by that
time
The election of delegates can not
be held sooner than sixty days from
the day the bill became a law Sat
urday. August q. would complete the
6O-day period. and the election may
be on that day.
The delegates must meet in con-
vention on the fourth Monday after
election. The fourth Monday on this
schedule would be September 49,
Under the provisions of the bill, the
constitutional convention may remain
in session sixty days. but there is no
reason under the sun why sixty days
should be necessary. The delegates
will not meet for a gabfest but for
action. And if they are clear minded
men they should be able to frame and
agree upon a constitution within ten
days. But let us say they take twenty
days. At the latest, their work ought