Seward daily gateway., 1923-12-29

JUNEAU: The Organic Act for the Territory of South Alaska, prepared by the committee of the convention which convened at Juneau December 15, and which is now in recess, has been submitted to the delegates to the convention who have returned to their homes, and by most of them to the respective city councils Wrangell suggested a minor amendment relative to payment of United States Commits sioners salaries instead of fees, and Ketchikan will suggest few changes, all of minor nature according to a telegram received by R. E. Robertson, chairman of the convention which pre- pared the act. When the suggestions are all in there will probably be an- other meeting of the delegates who are in Juneau
 The proposed Organic Act estab- fishes the Territory of South Alaska to comprise ali that part of the pres ent Territory of Alaska lying east of the Hist degree of longitude west of the Greenwich meridian; it estab- lished the Juneau Land district and the South Alaska Customs district, and the boundaries of all of which are made co-eXtensive with the bounda- ries of South Alaska. The capital of the Territory, the land office and the headquarters of the Customs District are located at Juneau.
 The Territory of South Alaska is to have Delegate to Congress- A Terri torial organization similar to that which the Territory of Alaska now has is provided. A separate set of of fcers is provided for South Alaska. The court system is retained as it is now in the First division. except that the Judge, Clerk, District Attorney and Marshal shall be for the Terri tory of South Alaska instead of for the First Judicial Division of the Terri tory as now. Their duties shall be the same as now and the court head quarters are fixed at Juneau The Circuit Court of Appeals is made the Court of Appeals for the Territory.
 The Legislature
 A Territorial Legislature is created to be apportioned among Legislative !istricts and based on population The Legislative districts which may be changed by the Territorial Legisla- ture, shall be identical with the pres ent seven Recording Precinct of Hy- der Ketchikan, Petersburg, Wrangell, Juneau, Sitka and Skagway. Each of these districts shall have one Sena tor for each 250O white inhabitants or traction thereof and one Representa- tive for each 1500 or fraction thereof but each district shall have at least one Senator and one Representative, Il is provided that under no circum- stances shall there be more than 13I Senators and 21 Representatives.
 The 1920 census of white popula- ton is fixed as the basis of apportion- ment for the first Legislature and thereafter, in non-census years. theI votes cast at the last preceding cleo ton shall be used as the basis.
 It provides that half of the Sena- tors chosen at the first election shall serve for two years and the other half tor four years, the selection to D, made by lot and thereafter all Sena- tors shall be chosen for four year terms except where one is elected to ill vacancy.
 The Legislative sessions are to be- gin the second Monday in January and are limited to sixty days unless called into extra session for not to ex ceed fifteen days.
 The proposed Act defines the pow CTS of the Territorial Legislature, inI Section 12 as follows.
 Powers of Legislature
 "The Legislative powers of this Ter ritory shall extend to all rightful sub- jects of legislation not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States, but no laws shall be passed interfering with the primary of the soil; no tax shall be upon the property of the Uni ted States; nor shall the lands or oth- CT property of non-residents be taxed higher than the lands or other prop erty of residents; nor shall the Legis-