unlimited numbers of members of this
house, about which we have heard.
It is flexible, because it will permit an
increase or a decrease as reapportionment
or redistricting may require.
Hal Clagett was talking this morning
about the thinking of the people being re-
oriented. One of the problems with the
reorientation of thinking is that this is a
very slow process. I believe that ultimately
the people of Maryland are going to have
to think on a different basis than that on
which they have been thinking. I believe
that the proposal of the minority permits
the system of representation in this capital
to accommodate to the reorientation of
thinking, to accommodate with a popula-
tion of 1.600,000, which is forecast for
1980, and 5.5 million for 2000.
I believe that we owe a duty to the
people of this State to try to fix something
which is not unreasonable, to try to fix
something which will afford flexibility.
Delegate Scanlan inquired of a previous
speaker whether or not any other State in
the United States left it solely to the legis-
lature to fix its own numbers. There are
two, is the answer. Forty-eight think that
there ought to be a limit.
I believe there ought to be a limit, and
our Committee, and I believe the small
counties, the small communities think that
this legislature has to stay workable. You
are not going to understand their concern.
I believe that in the compromise which
is involved in this amendment there are
the possibilities of a great many different
answers to the problems which face us, and
I believe that as we delegate so many other
functions to the legislature it is proper for
us to delegate to the legislature the possi-
bilities of providing better government
within limits. This is the view which the
minority adopts, and we respectfully urge
that you vote favorably upon the amend-
ment to the committee recommendation.
Thank you, Mr. President.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are there any ques-
tions of the minority spokesman for the
purposes of clarification of the minority
report?
(There was no response.)
Are there any questions?
Delegate Sollins.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: Delegate Gil-
christ if I understand your proposal cor- |
rectly, and I would like to, will the legis-
lature be permitted in some areas to have
a ratio of three-to-one in the Eastern part,
and so on?
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: No. The
legislature must establish a ratio of dele-
gate districts to the senate districts. It may
divide that senate district into a number
of delegate districts, or it may permit the
delegates from that district to run at large
within the district.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: You are not an-
swering my question, or I do not understand
your answer.
Will the legislature have to then estab-
lish one ratio that will be applicable to the
entire State?
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: Yes.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: Where is that
in your proposed language?
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: Yes, is the
answer.
THE CHAIRMAN: His question is, what
portion of the proposed language justifies
the answer?
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: "The Gen-
eral Assembly shall prescribe by law the
ratio of the number of members of the
House of Delegates to the number of mem-
bers of the Senate," in lines 12 through 16.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Sollins.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: As 1 under-
stand, reading on, you say, "but the ratio
shall not be greater than four-to-one."
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: Yes. This is
not a multiple. This is a ratio. This is not
a series of ratios.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Sollins.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: As 1 under-
stand it, then, the legislature could some-
time in the future set up a situation where
we could have 20 senators and 60 delegates?
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: Yes, sir.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: Or they could
make it 36 and 144?
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: Yes.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: Or 30-90—any
number of possible combinations.
DELEGATE GILCHRIST: That is cor-
rect.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: With the multi-
ple member situation that you have sug- |
