Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (Newspaper) - February 6, 1956, Fairbanks, Alaska Alaska Section of Daily mews ALASKA VOL. XXIV FEBRUARY 6, 1956 NO. 30 CONSTITUTION Document Termed fOne of Finest Eisenhower Sends Note To Convention Messages Are Exchanged With William A. Egan President Dwight D. hower sent a personal message to the Alaska Constitutional Con- The message was in the form of a telegram to William A. president of the The telegram was in answer to a message which Egan had dis- patched advising the President that the Alaska con- was being Here is the text of the dent's Text of Message you for your gram concerning the work of the Alaska Constitutional In the event that the proposed Alaska Constitution is ratified by the voters in I am certain that Congress will take due of it in connection with its consideration of any hood the I can sure you that the ratified con- will receive careful con- by the executive Dwight D. Eisenhower Convention's Work Hailed as by Political Experts Delegates from All Over Alaska Wrote Document That Is Ranked with Finest That Strong Executives Created By JOHN J. RYAN Alaska's Constitution has been hailed by political science researchers as of the finest documents of its type ever John E. assistant director of the National league with headquarters in New Emil J. project supervisor for the Public Administration Service of Chicago and Egan Will Sign Papers If the Tennessee plan is proved by Alaska the new senators and representatives who will go to Congress will have credentials written by tion President William Egan was empowered by tne convention to write up a ial advising congress of the ar- rival of duly elected tives of the Alaska Here is the text of the Be it resolved by the Delegates in Convention That President William A. and he is hereby authorized to prepare and sign a memorial after the election of senators and a directed to the Congress of United which memorial shall be the of election and tials of the and in substance shall contain a ment of the votes cast for the of- fices and the reasons that the Territory of Alaska used this method to petition This plan follows in part the game plan used by Tennessee and six other states when they ed statehood in the face of CONSTITUTION a color graph of Constitution on the sity of Alaska The university made its new Student Union building available the delegates for the full 75-day convention Students gave up use of the facilities so that delegates could be accommodated in adequate The delegates to the con- vention passed resolutions of thanks to the University of its staff and students for hospitality and assistance extended during the Delegates Came from All Walks of Life in Alaska The 55 delegates to the Alaska constitutional tion represent 23 different walks of range in age from 30 to 82 and come from 21 communities throughout the Among the are 13 nine store four mining four three two two two pilots and two hotel The remaining 14 delegates news city arch- real estate construction firm publicity oil retired law theatre owner and bank Larger Alaska's three larger cities claim 30 of the Twelve of them live in 11 in Fairbanks and seven in Most of the delegates are in their middle to late The Thomas Harris of turned 30 during the last week of the The Collins of is 82 years All Ages More than 20 delegates are over 50 years with the pre- dominance being in the 50 to 60 age More than 20 are aged between 40 and 50 years Some 10 delegates are un- der 40 years Packed Hall Well over 1000 people were in the University of Alaska gymnasium for the Con- signing In addition to at least 500 were turned away from the door because the hall was Convention Wos brough professor of for Louisana State Uni- versity all agree that the Alaska Constitution is virtually what science authorities would consider to be model Only Fundamentals constitution is not based on regional or group said includes only the and it sifts the best out of United States The three were on hand during closing days of the convention to advise A total of more than 15 consultants assisted gates during the 75 days of the The three consultants agreed that an outstanding feature of the constitution is the fact that it comes closer to carrying out the classic pattern of of laid down by our ing fathers than any other state They voted Alaska New York second and New Jersey in this Separation Achieved Separation of powers is ed in the Alaska constitution The 55 men and women who created Alaska's comprise the most body ever assembled in the For the first voices from cities as banks and Juneau were joined with equal by voices from such villages as Klawock and Many Communities Although 30 of the delegates are from Alaska's three major the other 25 framers 15 There is one delegate each from WrangelL and Haines and ka are represented by two gates and Nome by No Partisanship Throughout tion delegates affiliated selves with issues and not with The most often repeated made by delegates was body is free of We are not here to represent Nome or other constitution for the good of the whole Official Journals The official journals of the convention show that that or something similar to was made at one time or another by more half of the With factionalism out of the personalities moved to the Made Contributions All delegates made tions in committee some of little to say on the floor of plenary where all final decisions were W. Laws of retired law enforcement rose to his feet only and that was regarding the proper placement of a H. R. VanderLeest bf Juneau spoke for the first time on the 73rd convention silent delegates were Peter Reader of Nome and Mrs. E. A. Fischer of Many delegates expressed the feeling that they should take up precious time in plenary session only on issues about which they were specifically or on which they were especially This course was sued by delegates as Ada Wien of M. of Chris Poulsen of An- teslie John Cross of Kotzebue and E. B. Col- lins of Specific issues served to touch off keen powers of expression of several The fiery debate on abolition of fish traps brought Eldor Lee of Truman Emberg of Dillingham Frank vich to They were found be spokesmen of high calibre with strong abilities of Won Their Points Never pretentious or these delegates won their points by the simple citing of graphic More than half the delegates reacted constantly to sented to the body in a stream for more than two two Victor of An- and Ralph of Fairbanks architect and lawyer respectively were among the most both being at home in on Page 3) through three strong with each department checking the and the ple provided with checks on all three The executive department is strong because the governor and the secretary of state are and they run on the same ticket in the final All other state department heads are the strong executive is given power and authorization to things Strong Executive the strong executive will be strictly accountable to the for there can be no in this state When things go the governor is responsible and ple can take action on a simple ballot directly against The legislative department i strong because the constitution leaves so much for the future legislators to and be- cause the constitution puts no serious restrictions on the power of the The legislators will hold an annual session anc there is no time limit on this the lators are paid an annual salary and they have a legislative cil composed of their own mem throughout ie Are on Ballot members of the house come up for reelection every two and senators every after every an automatic ment plan is provided using a formula that is in the A board is provided to sist the governor in carrying out this reapportionment Legislators have nothing to do with arid cannot block it save their own seats as is now happening in many The judiciary system is strong manner of appointment eaves judges independent of branches of and the administrative head of court system is the chief justice of the supreme The supreme court is given the power to make law for all sub- ject only to change by Named by Council Judges are appointed by a council which consists of three laymen named by the three attorneys appointed by the state and a and presiding member who is the chief justice of the supreme the people are a powerful check on the judicial The constitution specifies that three years after each superior and supreme court judge goes on a isan ballot and the people can on Page 3) All of Alaska Receiving Copies Of This Section This edition was printed by the Fairbanks Daily and is distributed throughout the Territory of Alaska by the Alaska Statehood Newspapers throughout the Territory are by including this special Constitutional section i n their own newspapers and The hood Committee is taking this means to inform all Of Alaska exactly how the new constitution Is John R. H. R. B. D. Mildrid Frank Ralph Helen William Dorothy Frank Ada M. J. M. R. John Thomas Maurice Jack John Leonard ChrU An- W. W. Herb Burke Riley R. E. Steve and Victor
