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ments would see the wisdom of the argu-
ment that I was making this morning. I
would be willing, in my respect for the wis-
dom and intelligence of those commissions,
to permit them the option of seeing the un-
wisdom of your argument this morning.
THE CHAIRMAN: The Chair suggests
there is not time for that lengthy an answer
to the questions yet to be asked.
Delegate Gleason.
DELEGATE GLEASON: As I under-
stand the shared powers doctrine that we
have already approved, under this proviso,
and specifically with reference to the phrase
"or by instrument of government", it is
possible under this recommendation for the
State of Maryland to have local elections
on twenty-four different dates, is that cor-
rect?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Hanson.
DELEGATE HANSON: That would be
possible. I think the likelihood of it is ex-
tremely remote.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Bard.
DELEGATE BARD: Delegate Hanson, I
think the answer to my question will be yes,
but I do want it in the record.
Some time ago we dealt with the matter
of filling vacancies, and it was indicated
that the person chosen to fill the vacancy
shall serve only until the next statewide
general election. The statement reads on
line 7, "in every fourth year thereafter at
which time state officials shall be elected".
This in no sense would be contradictory to
what we did in LB-2, is that correct?
THE CHAIRMAN: Dele" ate Hanson.
DELEGATE HANSON: I think it con-
tradicts it in no sense.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Hanson's
time has now expired.
The Chair recognizes Delegate Schloeder
to speak to the amendment.
DELEGATE SCHLOEDER: Mr. Chair-
man, I find myself thinking about the
Byrnes amendment that was passed this
morning, much in the same way that the
man who was asked whether or not he
stopped beating his wife thinks about his
reply.
I cannot get terribly excited about either
one of them. I must say that this present
Amendment No. 21 is a formidable array
for their ad hoc committee. However, I find
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that when I speak to this amendment I
do not speak to that part of it that deals
with the election of judges or the last line
which deals with the election of the School
Board of Montgomery County, because we
were in the Commitee very willing to ac-
cept that in theory.
I find that this is a political expedient, I
am sure. As such, it is poor. I am speaking
here now only for myself and not for the
Committee, because the position of the Com-
mittee has been so eroded on this particular
issue that I do not think that the Com-
mittee, as such, has any real interest any
more in that sense. Of course, we have the
interest as individual delegates, but the
committee interest has been pretty well
eroded.
I must say I am a bit disappointed with
the Baltimore City leadership that it would
abandon the substantive arguments in prin-
ciple, and that they would support the
separation of elections and go along with
this political expedient.
It had been hoped that that leadership
in its enlightenment would have seen fit to
support the principle as it would apply
statewide. Personally, I am tempted to say
"a pox on both their houses" about these
amendments, but I guess this one is better
than the Byrnes amendment. I think I will
simply say that I will abstain and let the
chips fall where they may.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any other
delegates desiring to discuss the question ?
Delegate Hutchinson.
DELEGATE HUTCHINSON: Mr. Chair-
man, a similar amendment was discussed on
the floor of the Committee in the committee
room, not of course with the exact wording,
but a similar proposal. I must admit that I
was sponsor of such a proposal.
I must also admit that I was the only
vote in the Committee in favor of such a
proposal, but that was not unusual for me.
I still support it even though I did not in-
troduce it, perhaps because of lack of imag-
ination on my part. I am, however, willing
to say it was discussed in Committee, and I
supported it then, even though my name
was on the Minority Report in favor of the
Byrnes recommendation. It was for the
same reasons Mr. Hanson gave that I, too,
felt that if we were going to constitution-
alize such a proposal it should be in the
form of the Byrnes amendment.
However, I deem it necessary that I show
my support in favor of such amendment
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