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DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
Delegate Weidemeyer.
DELEGATE WEIDEMEYER: Those
hundreds could easily put in a share-the-
wealth program and carry it out under
your proposal.
DELEGATE WHITE: I would suggest
that the threat of the corporations and
people who do run Ocean City poses a
greater threat to less fortunate citizens
and to the well-being of Maryland than
would the so-called welfare recipients.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
For what purpose does Delegate Ulrich
rise? Delegate Ulrich, there are a few
people ahead of you. I will get to you in
a moment.
Delegate Borum.
DELEGATE BORUM: Delegate White,
you indicate that your Committee studied
this particular question at length. Did you
have any mayors appear before your Com-
mittee where municipality non-resident vote
is in issue?
DELEGATE WHITE: The answer is
yes.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
Delegate Borum.
DELEGATE BORUM: Your Minority
Report suggests something. I am not sure
whether it would be satisfactory or dis-
agreeable to the mayors of many of those
municipalities. I would be interested in
knowing what the opinions of mayors are
on this particular issue.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
Delegate White.
i DELEGATE WHITE: I am glad, Dele-
; gate Borum, you asked that question. I just
happen to have several statements that
were made by mayors of comparatively
small municipalities. The Mayor of Laurel,
the Honorable Merrill L. Harrison ap-
peared before our Committee and stated,
"I am unalterably opposed to extending
' suffrage to non-resident property owners.
I feel that such an extension of voting rights would be a direct violation of the
one man, one vote principle. It would be
possible for one individual to own property
in several municipalities and I cannot be-
5 lieve that such an individual should be per-
mitted to vote in more than one jurisdic-
i tion. Then too such property could be held
I in several names and it is unthinkable that
j voting rights should be extended to al)
such property owners. It also is true some
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property is owned by corporations who
would fall heir to the voting rights gen-
erated by the ownership of this corporate
property. I believe that we ought to operate
on the sound theory that residence and
residence alone should determine voting
rights."
And to quote another representative of a
municipality who is one of our honored
delegates here, Honorable Marvin Smith,
who appeared before us, representing the
City Council and Mayor of Federalsburg,
and said, "I have heard repeatedly the
question of permitting municipalities to ex-
tend suffrage to non-resident property own-
ers. I recognize readily there are advan-
tages in favor of same. It seems to me,
however, that it would be most difficult to
set up equitably. For instance, in the Town
of Federalsburg where I reside, when such
arguments have been advanced, one of the
persons that proponents have picked on, as
an example, is Earl Bell, who operates a
cut-rate store on Main Street, and who
lives just beyond the corporate limits. He
thought he ought to be permitted to vote.
Yet the fact is that Earl Bell operates no
store. It is operated by Bell's Cut Rate,
Incorporated. It is true that he and his
wife are the sole stockholders of the cor-
poration but if one permits suffrage on the
basis of stockholders, then stockholders of
AT&T ought to have the right to vote be-
cause the Telephone Company has a sub-
stantial investment in the town."
Of course, I could read on and on. We
have any number of mayors who have
taken a strong, intelligent and courageous
stand and have responded in a like manner.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
The Chair recognizes Delegate Ulrich.
DELEGATE ULRICH: Delegate White,
would you not agree with me that this is
making a special exception for the mu-
nicipalities? I would like to state my feel-
ings, if I might, Mr. Chairman.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding) :
This is a period for questioning, Mrs. Ul-
rich. We have controlled and uncontrolled
debate later.
DELEGATE ULRICH: Thank you. I
will state my feelings later.
DELEGATE J. CLARK (presiding):
Delegate Storm.
DELEGATE STORM: Delegate White,
I might preface my question by saying
that I feel there is a lot of very good
reasoning in your argument. However, I
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