Evening capital. [volume] (Annapolis, Md.) 1922-1981, 1922-10-11
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER IL. 1922.
INCREASED REPRESENTATION

INCREASED REPRESENTATION
OF the FIVE proposed amend
ments to the State Constitu-
ton which will be passed
upon by the voters of Mary
land at the November election.
that relating TO increased repre-
sentation in the legislature for
Baltimore City is the one which
has aroused the greatest amount
of interest among the voters in
the counties of the State. This
is true because in practically
every county the undercurrent of
opinion, as reflected by the county
press, seems TO be strongly OPP
posed to this increase, the general
sentiment appearing to be that
Baltimore rightfully is entitled to
no increase and that for the coun-
ties to vote in.favor of the amend
ment would simply help to create
a sort of political Frankenstein.
As matters stand now. Balti-
more City has four State Sena-
tors and twenty-four representa-
tives in the House OF Delegates,
while, il the amendment is sane
toned by the voters. the city will
have six senators and thirty-six
delegates in the Lower House.
In advancing arguments for the
increase in its legislative repre-
sentatives. Baltimore points to
the fact that. according to popu-
lation. it is at present under-rep-
resented.
Arguing strictly from a stand
point of population. Baltimore
perhaps is under-represented in
the Legislature, but il must be
borne in mind that population
alone is not the sole basis for de
termining representation accord
ing to our principles of govern
ment. II it were SO. the govern
ment of many of the states prac-
tically would be centralized in
the cities. Territorial units. ir-
respective of population. are to
be considered il we are to carry
out the general purpose of repres-
entation that actuated the franz
ers of our national constitution
when they declared that each
state should have equal represen-
tation in the United States Senate
regardless of size or wealth.
In Maryland. no county is en-
titled to more than one represen-
tative in the State Senate. al
though some of the counties pos
sess three times the population of
others. and the number of repre-
sentatives each county is allowed
in the House of Delegates is linn
tied. And yet, while the coun-
ties are considered as separate
territorial units, Baltimore city il
way possesses distinct adj
vantage in this respect in view OF
the fact that it at present has four
senators and "a representatives.
She enjoys this because of the di-
vision of the city into four leg
islative districts, which while. for
political purposes, are separate
units, still remain part and par
eel of the territorial unit. Balti-
more.
Baltimore City furnishes prac-
tically half of the States popula-
ton, but, for the good of the
State as whole, it is far better
to maintain the territorial basis
of representation in State govern
ment than to centralize it in
comparatively small area. And.
as a matter of practical politics.
with Baltimore City having six
senators and thirty-four represen-
tatives, there can be no doubt as
to the controlling factor in State
government. despite the fact that
the counties would exceed that
numerically. Given a solid block
of six votes in the Senate and
tfrirty-four in the House, and it
would mark the beginning OF cen
tralization OF State government
in Baltimore.