Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1922-02-10
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 10. 1922.
HONEST JUDGMENT

When final consideration came
TO be given in the House OF Dele
gates yesterday to the bill Tor IN
creased representation for Balti-
more City, the Delegates from
Anne Arundel occupied a diihcult
position,-more so, perhaps. than
that OF any other delegation.
They had come through a cam
paign during which they had
taken special exception to the
plank in the Democratic state
platform favoring increased rep
resentation, and had been given
unmistakable assurance that a
great majority of their constit-
uents were opposed to IT.
In the first stages OF the prog
ress of this bill through the Leg
islature, a majority of the dele
CATION had placed their local and
individual viewpoint ahead OF the
general and the party considera-
ton, but continued to give the
matter their deep and earnest
consideration with the view to
reaching a conclusion in the light
OF all aspects of the case. That
three OF the four Delegates who
were originally opposed to the
bill made final decision in favor
OF it, is an indication OF the cour-
ageous and independent effort
made TO rise above their own inn
pulses in the matter and to see
and concentrate on the larger
viewpoint, and. having once seen
the light in that way to follow II
TO the end. No one can doubt
that the vote of each one of the
Anne Arundel delegation was
based on deep and honest convic-
tions, and more than that cannot
be required Of any representative.
This includes. of course. Delegate
Dunlap, who held unswervingly-
to his original stand in opposition
TO the measure. No matter whe-
Their one differs with his Judgment
or not, all will agree that he was
conscientious in his convictions
and took the course that he
thought was right.
Now that the smoke of battle
has cleared away somewhat, those
who advocated the passage of the
bill in question have every reason
10 feel treasured as to the cor
rectneSS and wisdom of their con-
illusions. To have defeated the
bill would have meant giving aid
and comfort TO the political en-
envy; would have demoralized to
considerable extent the Demo
cratic machinery in the Legisla-
ture and interfered with the con
Structive program mapped out
and would have seriously weak
ened the Democratic party as an
agency of government at its next
appearance before the electorate.
because of inability to carry out
its pledges. 1t would. moreover,
have forced the solution OF the
problem of increased representa-
ton into the hands of the Repub-
lican party. whose program in
cludeS 4 much more drastic inn
position in this respect than the
Democratic measure.
1t is inevitable that the issue
of increased representation will
be kept alive until finally settled
through one party or the other ;
in which connection the lesson
taught by the Annexation cam
paign of six and four years ago
should not be overlooked. 1t will
be recalled that the opponents of
annexation at that time stood un-
compromisingly against anneXa-
ton of any character, although
the late Senator Peter Camp
bell offered a measure that would
have practically excluded Anne
Arundel county. The Republi-
cans stepped up with drastic
and comprehensive, measure that
attracted the support of the po-
1itical forces in Baltimore City.
and the solution of that problem
was entrusted to the Republican
party, with the well-known re-