Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-01-09

three, Of the minority party, and those which
have nine members do not have over two
OF the minority party, SO that in each case
before the minority members could have
called meeting they would have had to
have at least one member, and often two,
OF the majority party to join with them.
In the Senate it will be found upon exami-
nation that the same rule holds good.
This reform Is a needed one and ought
to be incorporated in the rules, because we
know how easy 1t is to block legislation if
the chairman of any committee refuses to
call meeting of the same.
(5) That the votes of the members of
committee upon any measure should be
Endorsed on the same, when reported, is a
good suggestion, and should be adopted,
and no member will object to the same
unless he does not wish the public to know
how ne votes upon measure in commit
tee. 1t assures publicity, and that is what
is needed. When the people realize that
the Legislature is acting in the open and
that nothing is hidden, it will create a
confidence of the people in our Legislatures
and take away the stigma that often at
taches to such bodies.
co. Another needed reform is to take
away from the presiding officer the abso-
lutte power which he has over the bills
upon the undertaking file. Under the pres
ent loose method of procedure, the presid-
ing officer Of either house, If he so chooses,
can so manipulate the Undertaking file
as to hold up any bill which the presiding
officer wants held back by simply keeping
it at the bottom in order that il may not
be reached. The writer does not know how
much this unwananted power has been
used in the past, but that it can be used
to kill legislation and as powerful weapon
upon member who may be interested in
a measure, to get him to agree to some
other measure which the presiding officer
may be interested in, cannot be denied.
The logical way to cure this difficulty
would seem to be this, that there should
be issued each day of the session a legis-
lative calendar or bulletin and distributed
to the members, which shall record each
bill as it has been reported, and also bills
which have passed to the undertaking
file. and in the order in which they have
passed the second reading. with the num-
Der Of the bill, by whom introduced, and
brief statement Of the purpose of the
bill. No bill should be considered out of
its order without a suspension of the rules.
CD AS Democrat the writer is in en-
tire accord with the plan to have the party
adopt certain caucus rules. the most i'm
portant of which is a rule that the caucus
shall keep a journal of its proceedings,
which shall be published after each meet
ing, and that the yeas and nays on any
question, at the request Of One-fifth of
those present, be entered on the journal.
Each of the leading political parties of
Maryland has declared in favor Of reform
in our legislative procedure; and there is
a great opportunity for each member of
the Legislature regardless Of party to prove
to the people of the State that he means
to make our Legislature truly representa-
tive.
The reformation of the rules of our Leg
islature is the very crux of the situation.
Those who are opposed to the initiative
and referendum should favor reform in
legislative procedure, because the more we
make our legislative bodies responsive to
the will of the people the less need there
is for the initiative and referendum; and
surely no one who is sincerely in favor Of
the initiative and referendum can oppose
this reform.