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wisdom and the voice of experience that
has guided our state legislature. When we
are faced with a turnover fifty to seventy
percent in a state legislature and those
members can come in with new ideas and
secret ambitions and can get together in
private caucuses and vote to install new
leadership in our house without experience,
without wisdom in the conduct of legisla-
tion, they can hide beyond that secret ballot
and install in the House and the Senate new
leadership without the experience and wis-
dom of the times gone by, then I say that
for them to do that in secret would be the
perpetration upon the State of Maryland of
an injustice while satisfying their own per-
sonal ambitions.
I say this. That you know what would
happen. They would conspire for this
leadership and that leadership and no one
would know until the secret ballot was cast
what was behind it all. I say that our pro-
cedure of open elections has served our
people well and kept them informed, and
every delegate, whether he be a Young
Turk or old experienced man, would have to
face and stand behind his vote in the open.
I think for the welfare of .the future of
Maryland that we maintain these elections
for the officer of our House of Delegates
and for the State Senate in absolute open-
ness so that if they have any secret ambi-
tion or they face any conspiracies behind
the door they will have to face up to them.
I think only by that method of open elec-
tions can we have our House of Delegates
and the State Senate elected to the proper
advantage to all people of the State of
Maryland.
I am hoping you will reconsider this mat-
ter and that you will reject this amendment
to elect them in secret.
THE PRESIDENT: Is there any further
discussion?
Delegate Gill.
DELEGATE GILL: Mr. President, fellow
delegates, the other day when this question
was debated, one delegate spoke for the
voice of democracy. I do not think a strong-
er plea could be made than in the voice of
democracy but I take the opposite side. I
do not feel it is undemocratic that when I
vote for President of the United States, and
congressmen, or the governor, and the city
and elective officers, I go into secret place
in the polling place and mark a secret bal-
lot. I do not think that is undemocratic.
As a matter of fact, I think it is most
democratic.
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The fact that I know there is no intimi-
dation, there is no retaliation, that I have a
chance in solitude to decide on the best
candidate to get the best people in office is
a great advantage. I can see that advan-
tage in electing people that will lead the
legislature because they will be leading the
ones who help make the laws and directly
affect the lives of everybody in Maryland.
I think it is a great advantage to elect
the officers who will lead both houses by a
secret ballot where they will not have to
face anything or be afraid of anything.
I agree with Delegate Burdette that if
we could get to, not just the caucus, but the
caucus before the caucus, where the nomi-
nees are really selected, there it would be
a different question. But when the date for
the caucus is announced and the meeting is
held, the nominees have already been decid-
ed and the people simply fall in line. There
may be a few changes, but the changes will
be minor. With the secret ballot I think you
will be able to get best candidates for the
position without any retaliation or without
any intimidation and it will serve the aim
of democracy in trying to represent the
people and let the people take part in the
democratic process. They believe, they want
to know what is going on, I want to know
what is going on, but it is not important
that I know how they vote for the leaders,
how they make the laws. It is important
we know everything after the leaders are
selected. I think secret ballot will help
eliminate the politics that are in politics.
(Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Lloyd
Taylor.
DELEGATE L. TAYLOR: I move the
previous question.
(The motion was duly seconded.)
THE PRESIDENT: All those in favor,
signify by saying Aye; contrary, No. The
Ayes have it. It is so ordered.
The question arises on the motion to re-
consider the vote by which Amendment No.
10 to Committee Recommendation LB-1,
LB-2, and LB-3 as amended by Report
S&D-16 was adopted. The question now
is on the reconsideration. A vote Aye is a
vote in favor of reconsideration. A vote No
is a vote against. Cast your vote.
(Whereupon, a roll call vote was taken.)
Has every delegate voted?
Delegate Boileau.
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