The Kenai Peninsula pioneer., 1956-02-27

Editors Note: The following ' is the full text of speech de-
 livered by Governor B. Frank I HeintzIeman at the signing
 ceremony of Alaska cOnstitu-
 ti0n)
 The act of affixing your sig- nature to a proposed Constitution f0r the State Of Alaska means tO you delegates the closing of a period of extremely hard work i'd which your time, energies and talents were devoted in full mea- sure to achieving something which you sincerely and earnest ly hope will be of lasting value to all Alaskans, present and fu- ture.
 Offers Study
 The object you have brought into being offers a study of ~ fascinating social process. Fifty five individuals of varied back grounds, temperaments and ideas, and representing different reE- ions and vocational groups with diversified interests, were brought together to consider the most complicated Of social and polit- ical problems and blend them inn tO a harmonious entity. By some wonderful alchemy which defles definition, this has been acc0np- Iished
 This marks a great stride to- ward ultimate self-goyernment and self-determlnatiUn.
 Produce Framework
 The paper you have drafted will serve t0 demonstrate to Ameri- cans everywhere the character of political and social thinking to he found in Alaskans. We are confident that any comparison that may be made with the peo- ple of the several states will show that the plane df our think ing is as high as that of any other unit Of tlie Nation.
 Long Series
 This ceremony here today is not so much an ending as it is a beginning a beginning 0f a long series of related activities which will be projected into the distant future Of Alaska and 0f our Nation.
 When you have affixed your signatures to this document. you will be standing in a similar po- sitlUn tO that Of the members of tue Philadelphia Convention On September t7, 1787. tile day they presented the American people with a document entitled "The Constitution 0f tho United States #aS Agreed upon by the COnven- tion." Like you today, they could look back upon q period of ar- duDus labor during which they devised a means Df rec0nciling the conflict of sectional and other special interests and built a working frame for a vital democ- racy.
 Living Document
 But we remember that, at this point, the product of tho C0npen- ti0n was still merely a document, not yet a living Constitution. They faced. as do we, the hurdle of gaining ratification of this dOe- ument by the people.
 The Constitution of the State of Alaska which You have agreed upon. when presented for popu- lar endorsement, will not, ann sure. have to pass through N per- iOd of such bitter controversy as did the Constitution of the Unit ed States before it was finally ratified
 Framers of Document
 But as framers off the d0cu- ment, each of you will be ex- pactad. and are conscience-bound, t0 follow tho lead of our fore fathers and carry t0 the general public of the area You represent ed at the Convention, your inter- pretation of the underlying fun- damental principles and tho def- mite terms of this document which you have proposed as the governmental foundation of the State of Alaska.
 The task now calls f0r further public service. l can give you little in the way M advice as to how ii should be done, but \ can at least refer you to the record of the comparable period in the establishment of our Constitution of the United States, and in par ticular to that series of essays dealing with the Constitution contained in The Federalist.'
 Alaska Version
 Some of you will De called up-