The statehood bills that were introduced into the House and Senate in 1957 recognized Alaska’s new constitution and thus were “admission” bills, rather than “enabling” bills meant to start a territory on the legal road to statehood. The distinction may seem arcane to all except bookish legal scholars, but the practical result was that the legislation was streamlined—less to argue about. Alaska was growing so rapidly—its inhabitants would almost double from 128,643 in 1950 to 226,167 in 1960—that population was no longer much of an issue. That left federal land grants and Native claims as the
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