11,667

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this was that the referendum was a drain on the General

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Assembly. We had gone through a lot in trying to strengther

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that body to act responsibly. It seems to me that it is

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foolish for us at the same time to grant them additional

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powers, and additional statutes and permit their acts to

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be challenged frivolously by a relatively small number of

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people.

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Among the other things that have been brought

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to your attention time and time again is the growth of the

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State of Maryland in terms of its population. That popula-

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tion becomes highly concentrated, and I submit that

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getting five percent of the registered voters on petition

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is certainly not an impossible task. It has been done, and

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where the people are really interested and where the Genera.

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Assembly has in fact gone against the best interest, or

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the wishes of a substantial number of our people, they have

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the use of the referendum, and it is a tool that they

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can use.

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I earnestly urge that you defeat the amendment.

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THE PRESIDENT: Are you ready for the question?

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The Clerk will ring the quorum bell.