The Wrangell sentinel., 1946-11-15
THROUGH THE SENTINEL PERTSCOPE

low decided this week 10 put on a "guest writer" - Ernest Gruen- ing, Governor of Alaska. While tue Governors message is directly ad- dressed to the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Sisterhood meet ing in Wrangell this week in an- nual convention. it touched upon subjects so vital to the Territory as a whole as to be of general in- terest. Following is the text of the Governors message as delivered to the convention by Acting Governor Lew M. Williams
 Since I first addressed you in a message sent to the 30th conven- tion of the Alaska Native Brother hood in Hoonah in 1943, a number of important events have taken place which should be most grat- flying to you.
 At that convention, for reasons which I outlined, I expressed the view that the native people of Al- aska were, and are, and I now quote, entitled to a larger share of the well-being of Alaska's econ omy, to a louder voice in it's gov ernment, to a greater participation in the Territory's social progress, than they hitherto enjoyed.'
 I further urged at that time that if the native people were to be fairly treated in legislation. and Tn matters directly affecting them, they should seek representation in the Territorial Legislature-and l quote again from my 1949 address - "by nominating in the pri- maries, and electing in the general election, worthy representatives vho may go to Juneau and take part in the proceedings of the Leg islature." I pointed out that in ,he First Division with the native peo- pie having one quarter of the pop ulation, they were entitled to one quarter of the representation.
 I gave as specific reason for this need, on the part of the na- tive people to act, the failure or the anti-discrimination bill to pass the 1943 Legislature by single vote Well, you acted! In the 1914 elections YOU nominated and elect- cd two outstanding men: Frank reratrovich of Klawock and And reW Hope of Sitka. You know ohe result. Tn the 1945 session of the Legislature. not only did the anti discrimination bill become law, but discriminations of long standing n the juvenile code and Mothers Al lowances Acts were likewise scrap ped.
 In congratulating you upon the election of these two men in my message to your 31st Annual Con yention meeting at Rake in lS44, I pointed out that you were Ike wise entitled in the First Division, on the basis of your number, to man in the Senate. And now TOT the first time in the history of AL aska you have achieved that too. I congratulate you.
 Let me repeat what l said 1n those earlier messages. that do not like Or believe in voting oy race. I hope the time will come, and come soon, when Americans .n A aska and elsewhere will no long CT think in terms of the native" vote, or the white vote, but will vote for individuals on their mar it, or for parties on the basis of the principles they stand for and the policies they carry out. But 1t the same time it is important that no considerable minority group be denied adequate and proportional representation if it so desires. And particularly is that so when any minority or grouD has been dis criminated against as group. In those circumstances. it is inevit- able that it must defend itself as a group
 The fact is now that the native people, at least as far as the First Division is concerned, have for the first time in history achieved re- presentatiCn in the Legislature in rropOrtion to their numbers The population of the First Divisioa the population of Southeastern AL nsta in other words, is about Ih O0n The nat1vc pOpulat1On C apDroxima telv 5000 or fourth of the total. That would entitle you to one of the four Senators and two of the eieht Representative, And that is preciseIv what you have now achieved You have chieved it for the first time. You have elected for the first time one of the native people to the Terri torial Senate. and in addition ,a that you have retained the mem bership of two out of the eight re- nresentatives. that for the first time you achieved in the 194E Legislature: and for this I congrat. ulate you most heartily.
 Let me further congratulate you