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THE CHAIRMAN: There is always that
possibility, which the Chair hopes will
never arise.
If we get to that point, I fear we will
never finish.
Are you ready for the question?
(Call for the question.)
The question arises now on the adoption
of Amendment No. 2, to strike the word
"not" in line 18 of Committee Recommen-
dation No. 2.
The effect of the amendment and effect
of a vote Aye is to change the recom-
mendation so that it will recommend that
the office of comptroller be provided for in
the constitution. The effect of a vote No
is against the amendment, to have the
recommendation as recommended by the
Committee.
A vote Aye, a vote in favor of the
amendment; a vote No, against, after
which we will submit the question on the
recommendation.
Delegate Dorsey.
DELEGATE DORSEY: Mr. President,
is there time allotted to speak in favor of
the amendment?
THE CHAIRMAN: I thought we had
concluded debate. There is no allotted time
on this debate. If you desire to speak again,
you may.
DELEGATE DORSEY: How much time?
THE CHAIRMAN: Three minutes.
DELEGATE DORSEY: Very well.
Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen of
this Convention: Yesterday I thought that
this Convention had laid to rest the ques-
tion of whether or not the comptroller
would remain in the constitution, but it
seems that the leadership of this Conven-
tion is hell bent upon taking away the
rights of the people to have any voice in
the election of the officers of this State, a
right which they have enjoyed for the past
century.
In the midst of debate yesterday, before
the allotted time had expired, this Conven-
tion recessed in order to bring about a
compromise.
I say that the hope of the President of
this Convention is that they are writing a
draft which will be adopted by the people
and which will last for another 100 years,
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but I say to you in all sincerity, if you take
away the rights of the people to have a
voice in these offices, which they have
possessed for the past century, you may be
preparing a draft which will expire on the
14th of May.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Gleason.
DELEGATE GLEASON: Mr. Chair-
man, just let me say briefly, the President
and the Chairman of this Committee may
have to take a lot of abuse with respect to
proceedings of this Convention, but with
respect to the motion for reconsideration,
I want to say to the fellow delegates, this
was Delegate Gleason's idea, and I have
never talked to the President or any other
leader of this Committee with respect to
that purpose.
(Applause.)
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Linton.
DELEGATE LINTON: Mr. Chairman,
members of this Convention:
I have been silent on this subject, and I
would like to say just a few remarks at
this time.
After the legislature met this year they
cancelled a reciprocal agreement with sur-
rounding states on motor fuel tax, and I
had a visit from an employee of the comp-
troller's office; I could have been in Russia,
the treatment I had from this man.
I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen,
we are not talking about the present comp-
troller. We are talking about a service to
every individual in this State. We need a
comptroller, regardless of who he is, that
is responsive to the people of this State
when problems arise on the collection of
taxes.
^N
My particular problem was an innocent
oversight of a law that I did not know had
been passed. At that time, the law was ex-
tended, after not only a complaint from
myself, but from a number of truckers in
the State.
I believe that the question here is not
the individual who has made phone calls,
the question is a service to the people. We
need a comptroller who is responsive and
elected. It should be provided for in the
constitution, and we should vote yes on this
amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Before calling the
vote, I think a further word is necessary
as to the question raised by Delegate
Wheatley. I said that the action of the
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