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it by these small matters of having the
district judges appoint committing magis-
trates.
I, therefore, think this is a well-taken
amendment. I hope you approve of it.
THE CHAIRMAN: The Chair recog-
nizes Delegate Henderson to speak in oppo-
sition. Sorry, Delegate Harry Taylor to
speak in opposition.
DELEGATE H. TAYLOR: Will the
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee yield
to a question?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Mudd, do
you yield?
DELEGATE MUDD: Yes, sir.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Taylor.
DELEGATE H. TAYLOR: Do they have
this commissioner system on the federal
level?
DELEGATE MUDD: Yes.
DELEGATE H. TAYLOR: Who ap-
points commissioners there?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Mudd?
DELEGATE MUDD: I was one many,
many years ago and at that time I was
appointed by Judge Coleman.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate H. Taylor.
DELEGATE H. TAYLOR: Has the sys-
tem worked satisfactorily on the federal
level as far as you know?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Mudd.
DELEGATE MUDD: Are you asking me
to judge my competency?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Harry
Taylor.
DELEGATE H. TAYLOR: The ones ap-
pointed since you left.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Mudd.
DELEGATE MUDD: You have a very
distinguished one in your county now,
Commissioner Burgess. I think he does it
well.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Raley, for
what purpose do you rise?
DELEGATE RALEY: To speak in oppo-
sition.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does anyone desire
to speak in favor?
Delegate Raley, you may proceed to speak
in opposition.
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DELEGATE RALEY: Mr. Chairman,
I am a State Senator and had some experi-
ence with the magistrate. The system was
atrocious. I remember I tried at one point
to get a training period but the big prob-
lem was nobody controlled these people.
It seems to me the commissioners there
set up are going to be an arm of the court
so they should be properly controlled by
the court, properly trained by the court.
This is 'the only thing that can be done to
change the system.
I think this amendment should be de-
feated because I believe this would be a
real step forward in this State.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in favor of the amend-
ment?
Delegate Key, do you desire to speak in
favor?
DELEGATE KEY: I do not know. I
have a question of either Delegate Mudd or
Delegate Johnson. It does not matter.
THE CHAIRMAN: You name it.
DELEGATE KEY: Which is in order
right now?
THE CHAIRMAN: Do you desire to di-
rect your inquiry to Delegate Mudd?
DELEGATE KEY: Yes.
THE CHAIRMAN: Do you desire to re-
spond to an inquiry?
DELEGATE MUDD: It may be out of
order.
DELEGATE KEY: Delegate Mitchell
inferred that this article, this amendment,
rather, would permit selection of these
commissioners by the merit system? I know
that now there are many employees of Bal-
timore City courts. Do you know whether
any of these are appointed by the merit
system or are they all appointed by the
court?
DELEGATE MUDD: The committing
magistrates in Baltimore City now; is that
what you mean?
DELEGATE KEY: No, I am speaking
now of just the whole court system in Bal-
timore City. Are they under the merit sys-
tem?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Mudd.
DELEGATE MUDD: I do not know if
I can fully answer your question.
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