The Wrangell sentinel., 1956-01-20
THROUGH THE SENTINEL TELESCOPE
Groundhog's Smart

Groundhog's Smart
 The reason the grounding does not show up until February is now fairly we'll established in AL aska. He has too much competition. on February l. That's the final da e for filing of candidates for the Territorial Legislature and usually not even a groundhog has chance in the last minute rush.
 The expected eventful year of 1856, now dragging through it's first month, promises to be no eX- ception. As usual therell be candi- dates galore. In fact, there's a goodly number who have been twlrling their hats up at the Con- stitutional Convention at College for the better part of 75 days, pre- paratory to tossing them in the ring. The convention, it developed, proved a good springboard for just this sort of thing, whatever else it may have developed.
 In the main ring thus far Dele gate Bob Bartlett has filed for re- election on the Democratic ticket and Henry Benson, Commissioner of Labor, has filed for National Re publican Committeeman. Also get ting in early to avoid the rush were Republican Doris Barnes of Wrangell and Democrat Marcus Jensen of Douglas for reelection to Senate seats in the First Division which they have held with consid- erable ability for several years.
 Scoop
 It was a cold, sloppy night Tues day and local Democrats of Wran- gell and Stikine precincts crowded around The Sentinel stove to par, l4y themselves into a whingding on St. Pa ricks Day, March IT, to help the cause, which in the polit. ical vernacular means raise some funds. You'll hear more of this later. That isn't our scoop. It came wnen the Democratic ''hot stove" league began picking their candi dates for the Legislature.
 From our vantage point behind the nelly JobDer, we heard it ac- claimed that the group was going to give it's support to Lew Will Hams, Jr., as Democratic candidate for a seat in the Territorial House of Representatives. After we took copious notes and the discussion arose to political heights it dawned on somebody that the purported candidate wasn't present and it fn h i'm down to determine whether he was gong to do Coolidge T do not choose to run" or an Eisenhower "Time will tell"
 Some fast telephone work over ATC's efficient dial developed the suggested candidate was home baby sitting, a laudable occupation for anybody, particularly for rising young candidate for public office who may have to kiss good many of them.
 Pinned down for a statement, the baby-sitting candidate finally got around to it. Said he:
 'I yield to public opinion" !
 "There!" calculated Democratic Chairman Boss House, and the fat was in the fire.
 Boss" Governor
 The strong Governor" plan has been adopted for the proposed state consti ution, says reports from the Golden Heart of the North. The article, as approved, stipulates:
 The Governor of Alaska shall be at least 30 years old and seven years an Alaskan. He may serve only two four-y ear terms during. his tenure unless by general law applying to all salaried officers oq the state.
 The governor will appoint
 all state officials. except the
 Secretary of State. He will
 delegate the functions of gov
 ernment to a maximum of 20
 principal departments. Heads
 of the departments will be
 single executives. unless other
 wise provided bv law.
 Why exclude the secretary Of ate? Might as well make it un- animous. The late Boss" Hague of New Jersey, Boss" Crump of Ten