Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-04-30
WILL MAKE TWO REPORTS.


week at the Governors Office, and after
two hours discussion decided to make two
reports.
The majority report will recommend that
the city be given one additional member
of the House of Delegates and one addi-
tional Senator from each legislative dis
trict, total increase of eight members,
which would be four in the Senate and
four in the House.
The minority report will recommend an
increase of eight Senators, or three from
each district, and an increase in the House
of Delegates according to the population
as determined by each national census, so
as to make each delegate Of the city and
county representative as near as may be
of equal population.
Messrs. Edward C. Peter, of Montgomery
county; Redmond C. Stewart, of Baltimore
county; Michael E. Walsh. of Carroll coun-
ty, and John T. Gray, of Calvert county
will sign the majority report, while the mi
nority report will be signed by State Sena-
tors j. Charles Linthicum. Peter j. Camp
bell and Charles p Coady, all of Baltimore.
Under the plan which was submitted by
the city Senators the membership of the
House of Delegates would be decreased to
So and the city would get 40 members,
thus still leaving the counties in control
Several of the county members of the
commission first did not favor an increase
of eight Delegates for the city. They were
willing that the city should get four addi-
tional Senators, but they did not believe
that there should be an increase in the
House. The arguments of the Senators,
however, brought them to the point of re-
commencing eight new members.
Mr.. Stewart wanted to 60 farther and
recommend an increase of six Senators by
making two from each district and two at
large, but his county colleagues opposed
him.
Mr.. Walsh proposed to increase the city'S
membership in the House by eight. or two
additional from each district, but this was
opposed by the other three county menu
bers
Mr.. Gray submitted a plan for decreas-
ing the membership of the House by five
members. but not providing for any new
city members. This was unanimously voted
down.
The three city Senators stood firm for
their proposition, and the county members,
after conference, agreed on the majority
report. Mr.. Stewart Immediately wrote
the majority report and will submit it to
Senator Linthicum. who is chairman of the
committee. The minority report will be
written by Senator Campbell. Both reports
will then be submitted to the Governor.
The city Senators will confer in a few
days to determine upon the exact plan
which they will recommend for increasing
the representation in the House. While
the Senators would prefer that the repre-
sentation in the House for both the city
and the counties be based upon unit Of
population, they realize that this plan
would meet with serious opposition in the
counties. especially those in which the
representation in the House would be de-
creased. For this reason it is believed that
the Senators in their report will submit
two alternative plans One will be repre-
sentation according to population for the
city and counties alike and the other will
increase the city's representation to a fail
proportion of the total membership of the
House without disturbing the present rep
resentation of the different counties.
All three of the Senators made argu
ments in behalf of the automatic plan o.
constituting the membership of the Legis
lature. but the county members said thai
they were afraid that by its adoption the
city would get control and would legslatt
against the interest of the counties. i
was explained by Senator Campbell tina
the plan provided an increase in the rep
resentation of the city and counties when
ever it was justified by an increase in the
population, In order to explain the plaI
fully, Senator Coady, with unit of ont
Delegate for every $4,000 population, pre-
pared a table. With this unit the Hous'
would have 96 members. II was suggest
Gu THAT OtucT uihtS, ii uCShcu, hdy ~
adopted.
1t was suggested by Mr.. Stewart tina
the question might be determined by
constitutional convention, but this plaI
was deemed inadvisable. Under the Con
stitution the voters of the State every II
years vote upon the question Of holding I
constitutional convention. and twas over
whelmingly voted down several years ago
AS il decreased the representation o
several of the counties, the plan submitted
by Mr.. Gray was rejected 1t provided 70
one Delegate for every IS 900 souls or less
two for every county or district containing
, between $4,000 and $4,000, three 70
+, those between $4,000 and 10000, fou
, for those between 10000 and SIS, 000 fiv
for those between $4,000 and 100000
and six for all over 100000. This plan,
was pointed out, would have taken on
Delegate each from Carroll, Hartford. Dor
chester, Queen Anne's, Washington am
Wicomico counties.
In arguing against a decided increase il
the citys representation the county mem
bers stated that in the counties there wa
strong feeling against any increase 70
the city. and that If an increase were t.
: be granted it would have to be along con
sentative lines.
+ Because Of the tremendous amount Q
! work which falls upon the shoulders of tn
/ city Senators the county members said tina
J. they believed that there was unanimit
u of sentiment that the city should hav
/ more Senators, but that even the most lib
|, eral of county people would not consen
: to this increase being greater than fou
+. With its "a members of the House. tn
! county members contended that the cit