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And I say this — and I don't want to be
rough about the things that Delegate Mal-
kus pointed out, here — but I would say
this, time and time again I have noticed
that some of us feel because we are elected
to a Constitutional Convention that we are
ordained to see all of the things and give
the people what we think they ought to
have. I think we have to be close to the
people and give them the service they need.
I have said many times during this Con-
vention that the only person that I know
who is ordained to do something for an
individual and make him take it is the
mother who gives a sick baby castor oil.
We cannot treat the public that way.
We have got to give them service, and I
think we must give them a district court
judge who is their trial magistrate — now
mind you, he is going to handle the same
cases, whether you call him district court
judge, or people's court judge, and put a
robe on him; he is going to do and handle
the same cases that those trial magistrates
handled before.
THE CHAIRMAN: You have one-
quarter minute, Delegate Weidemeyer.
DELEGATE WEIDEMEYER: And
when in recent years have we had a county
without its trial magistrate?
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any delegate
desire to speak in favor of the motion to
reconsider?
Delegate Schneider.
DELEGATE SCHNEIDER: Mr. Chair-
man, I think the issue is being clouded
here, and being cast as an emotional matter
of one district court judge for each county.
That is not the question before us. The
question is whether we should here decide
the merits of the Case report versus the
delegates who say there is a need for one
district court per county; and whether we
here should decide whether Delegate
Grant's county is so large that a man can-
not drive from one end to the other without
being severely inconvenienced, and whether
there are not perhaps some counties else-
where in the State where the driving dis-
tance between points in the county is short.
The question here is whether we want
to make this decision now or whether we
want to leave it to the legislature. A vote
Aye, to reconsider, and a vote No on
Amendment No. 18, to leave it to the legis-
lature, where Senator Malkus could pre-
sent his case.
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Perhaps some counties would get a judge,
perhaps Garrett County would get one and
perhaps some of the other counties where
the distance is close would not. I would
hope you would vote no on Amendment
No. 18.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Della.
DELEGATE DELLA: Mr. Chairman, I
believe the motion to reconsider is before
the body, not Amendment No. 18, and all
we are doing is hashing over Amendment
No. 18.
THE CHAIRMAN: This is correct, but
the Chair rules that discussion of the mo-
tion to reconsider a vote by which the
amendment was passed would be proper to
discuss any matters pertaining to the
amendment.
DELEGATE DELLA: The merits of
Amendment No. 18?
THE CHAIRMAN: Hopefully we would
not have to rediscuss them.
Are you ready for the question?
Delegate Key.
DELEGATE KEY: I would like to say
a few things in favor of this recommenda-
tion to reconsider, because I think we need
to decide whether we are really for a state-
wide system of courts.
Now, in asking my questions I had a
very good reason. As you know, the coun-
ties, as they like to tell us, are small; they
are less sophisticated, and therefore need
their own to judge them. This is true. That
is why we have different juvenile laws in
the State; one is a juvenile in the county
at the age eighteen, and in the City he is
an adult at age sixteen.
This means that crimes supposedly in the
City are created by more sophisticated
people. If you are saying that your county
people are less sophisticated, and need
hometown people to try them, then I say
that they are not sophisticated enough to
come up to Baltimore City on this state-
wide system and try our people who have
more sophisticated crime.
You are either for a state system, gentle-
men and ladies, or you are not; and I want
you to tell me by voting on Amendment No.
18 whether I should be for it, and give up
a just court system in Baltimore City, or
be for a state system and depend on the
legislature to decide who needs the judges.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for
the question?
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