Convention. His 20 years of service as a
legislator has provided him a keen insight
into the organization and operation of the
very functions of government which we will
be here called upon to re-define.
As Chairman of the Committee on Taxa-
tion and Fiscal matters and as Vice Chair-
man of the Senate Committee on Finance,
he has gained an intimate knowledge of
our State's fiscal affairs and a broad knowl-
edge of all problems of government.
As Chairman of the Legislative Council,
during his legislative career, he sponsored
the enactment of 288 bills, covering much
of the major legislation enacted in our State
during this period.
His services as town attorney of Aber-
deen and as attorney for the Harford
County Metropolitan Commission have pro-
vided him his understanding of the prob-
lems of local government. His membership
on the Interstate Advisory Committee on
the Susquehanna River Basin which drafted
the Susquehanna River Compact recently
adopted by our legislature has served to
develop first-hand knowledge of the kind of
interstate governmental cooperation which
will be called upon to provide.
So. I urge you, fellow delegates, in ar-
riving at your choice for President of this
Convention to consider carefully the qualifi-
cations of this able lawyer, scholar, legis-
lator and experienced parliamentarian, Wil-
liam S. James, Delegate from Harford
County. Thank you.
ALTERNATE TEMPORARY CHAIR-
MAN: The name of Delegate James has
been placed in nomination. Any seconds?
Murray Abramson, Baltimore City.
DELEGATE ABRAMSON: Mr. Chair-
man, I rise to second the nomination of
the Honorable William S. James. His years
in the position of leadership in the Senate
of Maryland have gained him a profound
knowledge of every facet of the state gov-
ernment. His record as presiding officer of
that body has been outstanding. His quali-
ties as a man, intellectual integrity and
complete honesty, added to his experience,
definitely point to him as the President of
this Constitutional Convention.
I consider it a great honor to second his
nomination.
ALTERNATE TEMPORARY CHAIR-
MAN: Any further seconding, gentlemen?
Delegate Storm?
DELEGATE STORM: Storm, Frederick
County. |
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Storm.
DELEGATE STORM: Respected in his
profession, with a great and successful rec-
ord and background of a practicing at-
torney, his experience and familiarity with
every level c.f state, county and town gov-
ernment, topped with 20 years of sound
and progressive legislation, legislation
which has been beneficial to the entire State
of Maryland, Mr. James is fair and force-
ful, considerate and diligent, a proven pre-
siding- officer; it is an honor for me to
second his nomination.
ALTERNATE TEMPORARY CHAIR-
MAN: The name of Delegate James has
been placed in nomination. The next name
that we have on the list for nomination is
that of Delegate O'Conor.
DELEGATE O'CONOR: I have great
confidence in the words of the President
pro tem. I know the gentleman whom I am
interested in will be nominated and I
would like to yield.
ALTERNATE TEMPORARY CHAIR-
MAN: The next name on the list is that
of Delegate Powers. Delegate Powers, will
you please approach the rostrum.
DELEGATE POWERS: Mr. President,
Delegates to the Constitutional Convention
of Maryland: I will neither be mysterious
nor lengthy in what I have to say. My pur-
pose is to nominate H. Vernon Eney for
President of this Convention. The people
of Maryland have selected 142 independent
minded, hard thinking men and women to
draft and submit to them for approval a
Constitution. This is a prodigious task be-
cause we are limited in time to four short
months. Yet, we must create a basic docu-
ment, bold and courageous and, most im-
portant, acceptable to the people. Obviously.
the planning and preparation involved, both
on a long-range basis and on a day-to-day
basis, means that the President of the
Convention is not merely a presiding of-
ficer, but a man who must have the primary
and final responsibility for seeing that the
Convention business goes on. This requires
strong and firm leadership, but does not
and must not entail influencing decisions
on the substantive material to be contained
in the Constitution.
Our presiding officer must be an effec-
tive moderator, for we have many strong
and forceful personalities and can antici-
pate frequently sharp debates. Vernon
Eney is not an advocate of the draft of
the Commission. As Chairman, he was, of
course, the spokesman for the Commission. |
