Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-03-03
Measure Killed
For Maryland
ReaIignment
BY a Star stan Writer


Senate last night killed a bill
calling for a constitutional
convention on reapportion-
ment.
BY an 1911 vote, the rural
areas maintained the control
they have had over' the Legis-
lature since 1867.
Bible-quoting Senators de-
bated far into the night in a
fight that lined up the small
counties against metropolitan
areas.
Proponents of reapportion-
ment conceded defeat even be-
fore the vote was taken Just
before midnight, but they
wanted to place each member
on the record.
The Senate defeat followed
a temporary victory for the bill
in the House of Delegates
where it had been approved
Tuesday by a 67-55 vote.
people Are Crying Out"
Pointing out that the voters
had approved a call for a con-
Stitutional convention in 1850,
Senator James A. Pine, Demo-
crat of Baltimore County, said
the people are crying out and
asking for this right (for re-
writing of the apportionment
provision of the constitution :"
THE big counties are not
going to swallow up the small
ones" Senator Pine said. "As
the Bible says, Fear not to
walk with me for I am your
brother"
Cain and Abel were brothers
and one got beat in the head"
countered Senator John L.
Sanford, Democrat of Worces-
ter on the rural Eastern Shore.
He said the metropolitan areas
were "a wolf in sleeps cloth
ing" which would "eat those
poor little sheep"
| Senator Sanford also said he
feared that a constitutional
convention might change the
face Of government in Mary
land-and the government of
Maryland is on a pretty sound
basis" He pointed out that a
convention would not be limited
to the reapportionment issue.
Could Even Move Capitol
They could even move the
State House to Assateapue
Island" Senator Sanford said
Senator Edward S. Northrop.
Democratic majority floor lead
er from Montgomery County.
who has been leading the fight
Tor reapportionment IN the
Senate, told his colleagues that
1T is time to face up to respon-
Sibilities."
Senator Northrop warned
that failure to act on reappor-
tlonment would have future DO
litical repercussions. One of the
big arguing points Of the propo-
nents was that the Democratic
platform in the guberna:orlal
campaign of 1858 contained a
promise to reappo1tion the
Legislature. The Legislature is
overwhelmingly Democratic
Senator Harry r. Phoehus
Republican of Somerset. said
that the Eastern Shore might
wind up with one Senator in
stead of nine" If the convention
bill went through.
It's like asking a man to
shoot himself" Senator Phoe-
bus said.
Three Votes Switched
When the roll was called.
only two small-county SEN
ators detected from the rural
cause, and one. big area SEN
ator deserted his metropolitan
colleges.
Nine Senators from Baltimore
City and the suburban counties
of Baltimore, Montgomery and
Prince Georges voted for the
convention. They were sup
ported by Senators Frank E.
Shipley, Democrat of Howard
County on the suburban fringes
of Baltimore and Washington,
and Guy johnson of Cecil
County in the northeast corner
Of the State.
Senator Louis N. Phipps
Democrat of Annue Arundel.
one of the four suburban coun-
ties, joined the small-county
legislators in defeating the bill.
Defeat of the constitutional
convention bill, which was in
PRODUCED by Delegate Jerome
Robinson. Democrat of Balti-
more City, was the second de-
feat of the current session for
reapportionment proponents.
Last week the House and
Senate turned down the Walsh
bill which would have given
the four suburban counties and
Baltimore City more represen-
tation in the House of Dele
gates.
The Governor had Endorsed
the Walsh bill, which was
drawn up by a commission he
appointed last year, but after
its defeat he came out for the
convention bill.