The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-02-18
ARGUMENT AGAINST BAL II
MORE FOR THE COUNTIES
Able Treatise Against Increased egis-
lative Representation for Baltimore.

teflal articles recently concluded, has
presented to it's readers the claims of
Baltimore City for increased represen-
tauon for Baltimore in the legislative
chambers, baslng the claims largely on
the fact that population should count
mainly in representation combined with
other equally important claims Ito the
Sum which it is not the intention to re-
fer to here. The following able, scholar
ly and comprehensive letter Of Mr.. Al
bert A. Doub, attorney-at-l law of this
city, taking the part of the counties of
the state in the matter, places the issue
boldly and clearly before the people.
Mr.. Doub's claim that ION the basis of
population Allegany county ought to
have two or three senators, and ten or
dozen delegates" is clearly defined if
the the arguments of the Baltimore Sun
will hold water. The letter:
Editor of Daily News-The PROPOSE
ton to increase the representation of
the city of Baltimore in the General AS
sembly of Maryland, seems to have met
with the approval of large element of
both parties in the city of Baltimore,
but this suggestion does not Justify it.
self to the citizens of counties who are
not familiar with the exigencies of par
ty politics or the demands of private in
terests. 1t is not intended to suggest
that an African may be concealed in
this political lumber pile, but it is per-
haps well to remember that the Ethio-
plan on close inspection has often been
hidden in apparently innocent party
planks from the same source.
The representation of Baltimore city
was increased by constitutional amend
ment in 1900, so that il now has four
senators out of twenty-seven, and "a
delegates out of a total of l01. The
trainers of the present constitution con-
structed wisely and realized that the
members of the delegation from Balti-
more, repreSentating a solidarity of in
terersts, would generally stand together
on legislation affecting the city or the
counties and that those Of the counties,
not having community of interests,
would rarely be united. and therefore
they provided that too large a represen-
tation should not be given to our me-
tropoliS. BY the log rolling process,
with "A delegates, ont fourth of the
lower house, the city of Baltimore can
easily control the House of Delegates
now or generally secure a majority in
I favor of any legislation it favors
In the Senate, with only votes, it
can not dominate legislation, but slight
increase of this number would enable
the Baltimore delegation to control the
Senate, by the process of trading votes
and otherwise. 1t is not ten years
since Baltimore received an increase in
its delegation and the census returns
for 1910 will not be available for some
time. However there is no reason to
suppose there has been in the last de-
cade such an inordinate and dispropor-
tionate increase in the population of
Baltimore as to cry aloud for another
amendment of the constitution of this
sort.
We all know the state has outgrown
the Con stitution and the counties want
numerous changes, but the political par
ties both contend that the present gen.
GRAFTON, for some unknown reason, can
not be trusted to frame a new one for
itself, and Baltimore ought to be will
ing to wait for another generation to
give it relief, as the counties have to do.
( OF course it would not be wise for the
people to frame new constitution for
themselves, if thereby political head
might be sacrificed
However. the slight growth of the
/ population of Baltimore does not iusti-
fly any change IN the representation.
Baltimore city has five times the popu-
lation of Baltimore county, but four
| time the number senators and four times
the number of delegates. Baltimore
county has nine times the population of
Calvert and in the same proportion, if
population is the determining factor, it
/ ought to have many more senators and
fifteen or sixteen delegates. since Cal
vert now has one senator and two dele
gates. Like wise on the basis of popu-
lation, Allegany ought to have two or
three senators and ten or dozen dele
gates, unless the representation of Cal
Vert and Charles. with their small pop
ulation, is to be reduced. OF course
such an increase in the representation
of the populous counties is impossible,
and it is therefore absurd to contend
that Baltimore city Is entitled to have
it's representation increased with each
recurring decade, by constitutional
amendment, merely on account of in
crease of population, unless some Of the
counties with their growing numbers