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If this constitution is adopted, the Gen-
eral Assembly will have an enormous
amount of work to do. It seems to me that
we are pushing beyond reason and com-
pressing; the time in which we allow the
General Assembly to operate in a field
which is very, very important not only to
the state government, but to individual
citizens throughout the State.
I think that the approach that has been
taken in the schedule is a reasonable one.
We have allowed the General Assembly a
reasonable amount of time to study the
situation, look over the problems, and come
up with those limitations and restrictions
that it feels are reasonable and necessary.
I think the job that has been done thus
far by this Convention is a highly com-
mendable one and I do not see the need
for, and I fear the evil of, impairing the
quality of the work Ave have done by
pushing the General Assembly to provide
things which it may not have the time to
study properly. For these reasons I would
ask you to defeat the amendment.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Rybczyn-
ski.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: Mr. Chair-
man, I too would like to emphasize that if
in fact the attorney general's office, or the
utilities are concerned about the possible
effect of this matter, that they can very
well lay the problem before the General
Assembly of this year. The problem is
fresh in everybody's mind. They can do
this if they want to as delaying legislation.
I started to do this yesterday on per-
sonal privilege and decided that I would
rather not take the time then because it
would have been in the abstract. However,
I do it now.
I recall for you that there was an ar-
ticle in yesterday mornings newspaper
about a public service commission hearing,
at which time it was decided to put future
telephone and gas and electric lines under
ground, and then the Public Service Com-
mission chairman made a very significant
statement. He said that the intention now
is to put all lines under ground.
I would like to think that perhaps the
action of this Convention has had some-
thing to do with that broad general state-
ment of Solomon Liss, who is chairman of
that commission.
I strongly urge you to knock out this
subsection A and worry not about the posi-
tion of the utilities and the State, which
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can very well take care of itself, and
worry more about the people who are af-
fected on a day-to-day basis by damages.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak?
Delegate Marvin Smith.
DELEGATE M. SMITH: Mr. Chairman,
may I suggest to you, sir, that again as
I have said when this matter was before
the Committee of the Whole and before
the Convention previously, that there is a
responsible way in which to act. Certainly
we are not acting in a responsible manner
when we put into effect immediately, with-
out opportunity for the General Assembly
to study it, without opportunity for the
General Assembly to think, a matter
which can be costing the State of Mary-
land the number of dollars that is here
proposed.
THE CHAIRMAN: Is there any further
discussion?
Delegate Johnson.
DELEGATE JOHNSON: I submit that
it is entirely inconsistent to think that it
is necessary, vitally necessary, I submit, to
provide for reapportionment on a "guessti-
mate" figure, on a figure of the 1970
census that is not even available, to raise
the salary of judges immediately, to im-
mediately raise the salary of the legisla-
ture, and to immediately raise the salary
of the governor, but delay the rights of the
citizens of this State.
If you do not believe that that is incon-
sistent, then vote down the amendment.
I submit to you that it would be consistent
with good constitutional writing, and for
the protection of the citizens of this State,
to adopt this amendment, and I urge you
to do so.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Mitchell.
DELEGATE MITCHELL: Mr. Presi-
dent, I rise to support the amendment. I
think a cardinal principle of constitutional
law is that your constitutional rights of
personal privilege are immediate, and al-
though there has been some erosion of that
principle, I am opposed to any further
erosion of it.
I do not think anyone's constitutional
right should be postponed. I would say
that I am for the raise in the judges'
salaries. I think that is a principle of good
government.
Certainly public servants are worthy of
their hire and I think that Maryland law
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