ported by the committee does not propose a
theory of representation according to popula-
tion. The gentleman from Prince George's
(Mr. Clarke) tenders a proposition which does
carry out the theory of representation accord-
ing to population, so that .it will work injus-
tice to no section. The true theory of repre-
sentation according to population is this:
that when I go up to the polls as a voter in
Anne Arundel county, and cast my vote, it
shall have the same effect as the vole of the
gentleman from Baltimore city, when he casts
his vote in Baltimore city. This article does not
give that. It allows the gentleman from Bal-
timore city to vote for six delegates, while I
can vote tor but two. His single vote may
send six delegates here; while mine, by no
possibility, can send more than two. Is that
carrying out the theory of representation ac-
cording to population? Is it even an approx-
imation to it? Does it not work injustice?
And can that theory be carried out on any
principle whatever, except upon the principle
proposed by my friend from Prince George's?
Take the whole population of the State, or
even the white population of the State, if you
make that the basis of representation. Let
every white man when he goes to the polls to
vote he, as the gentleman from Baltimore
city (Mr. Barren) said the other day, upon
an equality with every other white man. Let
the State be districted; let Baltimore city be
districted; let each county be districted.
Then when I go to the polls my vote will tell
for as much in the ballot-box as the vote of
any man in Baltimore city.
Mr. TODD. The gentleman from Anne
Arundel (Mr. Miller) has instituted a com-
parison between the counties of Kent and
Caroline. He has taken the statistics of
Kent, and the statistics of Caroline, to show
that Caroline with only a few hundred more
white inhabitants than Kent gets two dele-
gates while Kent gets but one. But the gen-
tleman seems to have overlooked the fact that
Kent will have to increase but 153 to get her
second delegate; whereas Caroline in order
to get her third delegate will have to increase
4,847. It is true that as this rue now stands
it will temporarily bear unequally upon the
counties. No rule can be established but
will affect some counties temporarily. But
at the next enumeration of the census—and
according to the terms of the proposition, as
I understand it, an enumeration may be or-
dered by the legislature at any time—these
counties will get that they now fail in hav-
ing, an additional representative, because
they lack only a few additional white inhabi-
tants; and that will then afford them an op-
portunity to be represented by another dele-
gate here.
The gentleman has also instituted a com-
parison between Caroline and Anne Arundel
counties, I must say from what I have seen
of Anne Arundel county; and I have ridden |
upon the railroad from here to Baltimore,
and viewed it on either side the whole length
of that journey, that I do not feel at all com-
plimented by the comparison. It is no doubt
true that Anne Arundel county sends to Bal-
timore city a larger amount of products than
Caroline. It would speak very badly for
Anne Arundel if she did not do so, because,
if I understand the matter properly, Anne
Arundel has two or three times as much ter-
ritory as Caroline. But I am perfectly will-
ing, though I am not now prepared to do it,
because I have not the tacts and figures be-
fore me, to take the acres of Caroline, and the
acres of Anne Arundel, and strike a dividend
of the products, acre for acre, and compare
Caroline with Anne Arundel And I think
the comparison will be most favorable to the
county which 1 in part represent. There is
no section of the State within the limits of
my observation that has more rapidly in-
creased in the last ten or fifteen years in all
that tends to make a country desirable than
the county from which 1 come.
And there is another question which I
would ask the gentleman. Why is it that
Anne Arundel with 11,704 while inhabitants
has three delegates, while Howard with 9,081
has but two? Here the rule works unequally
against Howard. It is an old saying that it
is a bad rule that does not work both ways.
And here we find that the rule does work
both ways. And if Anne Arundel is afflicted,
Howard is also afflicted, and has a less rep-
resentation here in proportion to her popula-
tion, in proportion to her white inhabitants
than Anne Arundel,
Another fact which has already been re-
ferred to upon this floor is, that the peninsula
counties, seven in number, may in time have
thirty-five members here upon this floor.
Whenever a county, no matter where it may
be located, has the number of 25,000 white
inhabitants, that moment it is entitled to five
members here. And when the seven penin-
sula counties located here around us shall
have increased to that extent they will be
represented in this hall by thirty-five dele-
gates. While Baltimore city, to attain that
representation, must have a population of
1,544,000. So there you find the old adage
still true, and the rule does work both ways,
only in this case it works to the advantage
of the counties and against Baltimore city.
But I do not wish to take up more time of
the convention than is necessary, and I will
therefore forego any further argument at this
time.
Mr, HENKE. I wish to sav -but a few
words in reply to the remarks which the gen-
tleman from Caroline (Mr. Todd) has made
in reference to Anne Arundel county. Upon
looking at the report of the comptroller it
will be found that the amount of assessable
property .returned for taxes is in Anne Arun-
del $7,395,550; in Caroline $2,121,615. |
