Untitled Document
| Name: |
Benjamin D. Stewart |
| City: |
Sitka |
| District: |
6 |
| Occupation: |
Mining Engineer |
| Born: |
October 31, 1878 - Missoula, Montana |
| Death: |
April 1976 - Sequim, Washington |
| Alaska Resident: |
1910 - 1966 |
| Convention Posts: |
- Member, Committee on Ordinances and Transitional Measures
- Member, Committee on Resources
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Quote from the Constitutional Convention:
"The capital has been at Juneau for 50 years or thereabouts. There has
been no difficulty with regard to having it as the capital; it has served well.
I urge all of you to consider very, very carefully any move that will bring
about an uncertainty as to where the capital is during the next five, ten, or
fifteen years, and I would prefer very much myself to see it in the body of
the constitution. The constitution can be amended; there are provisions for
that. If, over a period of years during which the state is being formed and
we are going through the initial stages, there is no reason why the constitution
can't be changed after a period of years if it is shown and shown conclusively
and compellingly that there is a very good reason which offsets those against
it."
-Delegate B.D. Stewart, Day 65 of the Constitutional Convention, arguing for
including Juneau as the state capital within the body of the state constitution.
Instead, Juneau was declared the state capital in the transition clauses of
the state constitution. Relocation of the state capital continues to be a bitter
issue in Alaskan politics.
| Education: |
University of Montana |
| Public Offices and Organizations: |
- Mayor, City of Juneau - 1916
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