Speech #440015285

I stated when the bill was reported by the committee that there were but two points involved in this bill. First is a provision by which the emigrants who have gone into the Territory since the passage of the enabling act and have now become citizens and voters in the Territory under the provisions of the territorial law shall be allowed to vote on the question of the adoption or rejection of the State constitution. The original act as it came from the House provided for a convention to behold very soon after the passage of the act. The Senate. by amendments agreed upon here. deferred the meeting of the constitutional convention for about a year and a half. and the voting upon the adoption or rejection of that constitution until the 4th of July next. Consequently. since the passage of the act. and before the voting upon the adoption or rejection of the constitution. a lar o number of emigrants will have become voters in the Territory. That is the first amendment proposed by the bill. The second is in regard to the pay of the members of the constitutional convention.