We may not always agree with the
Fourth Estate but we all realize they are
intelligent, objective observers of what
goes on down here. This man was selected
by them as the outstanding man.
The personal experience to which I refer
was merely this. It gave me insight as far
as the character of this man. I did not
know Jim Clark well at all until this very
year. I heard about him for many years,
but I did not really know him personally.
Maryland was confronted with something
that was about to become a scandal, the
second mortgage business. Two years ago
we tried to get a bill through the legisla-
ture and it did not get very far. We tried
again last year. This year I went to see
Jim Clark. This is the situation that con-
fronted him when I walked in his office and
he did not know why I had made the ap-
pointment.
After years of hard work in behalf of
the revolving credit bill, a very complex,
difficult, controversial thing, he was on the
verge of success. It was by no means cer-
tain that the bill would pass but it ap-
peared that he had a good chance of suc-
ceeding. I went in and told him I had sev-
eral members of the Maryland Senate who
were prepared to co-sponsor a bill that
would deal with the second mortgage racket
but frankly these gentlemen were junior in
rank and I needed someone of his stature
to carry the ball.
This was a difficult thing for him be-
cause I was asking him to handle a hot
potato just as he was about to see fruition
for something he had worked on for a
long time. With no hesitancy, but with
deliberate analysis over a period of one or
two hours, we reviewed the situation. I
left and Senator Clark had still not given
his full answer. I came back the next day
and he said, I will be happy to do this.
Imention this, I apologize for the per-
sonal aspect of it, but it gave me insight
into the character of the man.
For these two reasons I have the pleas-
ure of nominating him for First Vice Presi-
dent of the Maryland Constitutional Con-
vention, Honorable James Clark. I apolo-
gize. I mentioned him in passing and I did
not properly conclude the nomination of
Honorable James Clark from Howard
County.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate James
Clark has been nominated for the office of
First Vice President. Is there a second?
Delegate Hanson. |
DELEGATE HANSON: Mr. President,
with a great deal of pleasure, I second the
nomination of Delegate James Clark for
First Vice President of this Convention.
Those of us who supported him for Presi-
dent of the Convention supported him, not
because we like others less, but because we
like Jim.
I can only emphasize what Delegate
O'Conor has mentioned in his nominating
speech. Jim Clark is a man of quiet urgency
and a man of calm judgment. He is, I be-
lieve, after some six or seven years of
working with him and beside him on a
number of endeavors in this State, one of
the most skilled and resourceful negotiators
that I have ever seen at work. He has the
capacity to draw out opposing opinions and
find those areas of agreement and urge on
the combatants to a compromise that can
work.
There are few men, I think, who have
this almost divine capacity to find the areas
of agreement. In this Convention we shall
have areas of disagreement and a great
premium will have to be on those men who
can find the areas where we agree.
It is for this personal attribute particu-
larly that I am pleased to second the nomi-
nation of James Clark.
THE PRESIDENT: Delegate Murray.
DELEGATE MURRAY: Mr. President,
I should like to claim the privilege of fur-
ther seconding the Clark nomination.
Jotting down several things here while
waiting, I then tried to determine which
was the most important. As with all men,
I think, integrity is the basic thing. If he
lacks this, then nothing else he has would
make him a proper candidate. His integrity
is known, his legislative ability is known,
and he has a basic down to earth simplicity
which helps to enable him to talk to the
average man and influence his decision.
Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: The next delegate
to be recognized for the purpose of making
the nomination is Delegate Scanlan. Please
approach the rostrum.
DELEGATE SCANLAN: Mr. President,
fellow delegates, in placing the name of
the last nominee for the First Vice Presi-
dency, I come with an advantage and dis-
advantage. I come with the advantage that
the previous speakers have ticked off for
you the various attributes that one should
expect in a Vice President of this Conven-
tion. |
