would imagine, or maybe a little later, a
great deal of talk about the Missouri Plan.
The Missouri Plan was brought into effect
in Missouri through initiative. I doubt very
much whether that would ever have reached
the people in any other way.
I think the essence here in our proposal
is for something in the future, for some
way the people can, in some orderly, con-
trolled manner, feel that they are still a
part of the democratic process in a demo-
cratic political structure. I think one of the
great dangers we face is to forget that the
people are growing farther and farther
away from their government.
We would hope this would be one, small
way that we could retain a democratic touch
in the future, some means of contact be-
tween the people and the government.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Koss.
DELEGATE KOSS: I think all the argu-
ments on this have been made. I would
like to refer anybody who feels the need
for any additional ones to page 7 of the
Committee memorandum. Thank you.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Byrnes.
DELEGATE BYRNES: Mr. Chairman,
I would like to respond, if I could, to what
seems to be the problem many people have
here, on a practical level, not philosophical.
All objection 1 heard to this minute are of
a statutory nature. I did not deem it wise
to place in the constitution a great number
of statutory protective devices to identify
the number of opponents, how they would
draw it, or how they would present it. If
we had done that, we would have been at-
tacked from a different quarter for a dif-
ferent reason.
We made it clear, I think, to this body
that the legislature will have the power
to respond to all these questions presented,
but we are facing, I might suggest to you,
Mr. Chairman and ladies and gentlemen, a
very fundamental issue and that is whether
or not the people shall have this right to
participate in their government. I think we
can very easily dismiss these things and
say, oh, well, there will be all sorts of prac-
tical problems and oh, my, we know what
is best for the government. I think the
people should put all these silly things into
law. They may be silly but they are the
people and this still is, I suggest, Mr.
Chairman, a democracy.
THE CHAIRMAN: That concludes the
controlled debate. We now go to the un-
controlled debate and speech is limited to |
three minutes. We have 20 minutes of un-
controlled debate. The Chair recognizes
Delegate Rybczynski.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: I rise to
speak in opposition, Mr. Chairman.
THE CHAIRMAN: The delegate may
proceed.
DELEGATE RYBCZYNSKI: I will just
touch on two points not previously men-
tioned. One is there is no provision within
this section for fact-finding. That is, there
is no provision within this section which
would allow for what the legislature does
and what we have been doing down here for
nine weeks, that is to go into the facts be-
hind a proposed bill.
The other is both a question and a state-
ment of fact. If the sponsors that endorse
what Delegate Schloeder has said about
less representation and representation get-
ting further away from the people feel that
is the fact, 1 strongly suggest that we take
this up under the Legislative Branch and
reconsider the number of delegates to be
sent to the House of Delegates and possibly
raise the number to a figure to suit them.
Perhaps we need a larger House of Dele-
gates.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any member
wish to speak in favor: Delegate Byrnes.
DELEGATE BYRNES: I think time is
growing short. We might conclude our
presentation. I would ask only this, that
the body here assembled recall very clearly
what the decisions are we have made to
date and what the decisions will be. We
decided the legislature shall be smaller,
further from the people, more efficient. It
was recommended by the Executive Com-
mittee we eliminate certain offices from
their elective status, make the governor
more efficient and stronger.
It is recommended by the Judiciary Com-
mittee that we leave the judges free of the
elective system, and give the people a role
in their selection. We have taken away
from the small, rural counties a delegate.
We have tightened up referendum.
I think it behooves all of us to be very
cautious about all of these moves and re-
flect upon them when we vote for a device
which would give directly to the people a
right and means to participate directly in
their own government.
I would much prefer, Mr. Chairman, to
go back to my people and say yes, we have
done all this. We have strengthened gov- |
