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thanks of my cat Mace for two Christmas
presents and I make this announcement,
while I am not quite sure who the givers
are, but I can guess. Nevertheless, if this
corner gets somewhat odoriferous, before
the evening is over, you will know why.
(Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Hopkins.
DELEGATE HOPKINS: Mr. Chairman, I
have been asked by a number of people
on the floor to announce that the minority
party no longer has to hold its caucuses in
the phone booth. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: The Chair recognizes
Delegate Powers, Chairman of the Com-
mittee on Calendar and Agenda.
DELEGATE POWERS: I move that the
convention resolve itself into a Committee
of the Whole.
(The motion was seconded.)
THE PRESIDENT: All in favor signify
by saying Aye; contrary, No. The Ayes have
it and it is so ordered.
(Whereupon, at S:25 P.M., the Conven-
tion resolved itself into the Committee of
the Whole.)
(The mace was removed by the Scrc/eant-
a t- Arm s.)
PLENARY SESSION
DECEMBER 6, 1967—8:25 P.M.
PRESIDENT H. VERNON ENEY,
PRESIDING
THE CHAIRMAN: The Committee will
please come to order.
We have under consideration Committee
Recommendation S&E-2.
Amendment K will be Amendment No. 1.
The Clerk will read the amendment.
READING CLERK: Amendment No. 1 to
Committee Recommendation S&E-2 by Dele-
gates Rybczynski, Baumann, Cardin, Fred-
erick, E. Miller, D. Murray, and Soul:
On page 1 section 1, Eligible Voters in
Federal, State and County Elections, in line
!) strike out the word "nineteen" and insert
in lieu thereof the word "twenty-one''.
THE CHAIRMAN: The amendment is
submitted by Delegate Rybczynski and sec-
onded by the other sponsors.
The Chair recognizes Delegate Rybczyn-
ski to speak to the amendment.
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While Delegate Rybczynski is preparing
to speak, let me remind you that the pro-
cedure on the amendment now before you
will be to debate it, to consider an amend-
ment to be offered by Delegates Hutchinson
and Schloeder, to change the age twenty-
one to eighteen and then an amendment to
change the age to twenty, and following
that to vote on the amendment as it may or
may not be amended as opposed to the
Committee Recommendation.
Delegate Rybczynski.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: Mr. Chair-
man, at this time I will call on Delegate
Cardin and allot her five minutes.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Cardin.
DELEGATE CARDIN: Mr. Chairman and
fellow delegates, we are probably at one of
the most emotional issues before us at the
Convention. When we play a numbers game
tonight, it will be a most serious one and
one sponsored by the State with its full
authority.
The question is why not twenty-one ?
The Committee Report would have you
believe that twenty-one is not a magic
number. I agree it is not magical, but it has
tremendous powers. The number twenty-one
opens the door for any male who wishes to
marry without parental consent. The num-
ber twenty-one opens the door for anyone
who wants to sign a contract and be the
sole bearer of that responsibility. The num-
ber twenty-one permits one to place a $2
bet at the parimutuel window. The number
twenty-one allows you to wave a voter
registration card to get a drink. The num-
ber twenty-one is not identified only with
voting.
I rise to speak to this not because I
think twenty-one is holy, but because I
think the entire aura of adult responsibility
rests upon our decision tonight. This is
what we will decide.
Is there a more responsible act than that
of casting a ballot, a ballot which could
affect the outcome of your government and
mine, a ballot which can change the State ?
Our Constitution will read that by a vote
of the people we may change our entire
form of government.
It is this simple thing that you are
about to discuss and vote on. The ballot is
vital. Is it as vital as buying an automo-
bile? Is it as vital as signing a contract?
I maintain it is more vital than either of
those and yet when the Committee was
asked to vote on lowering the age of respon-
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