[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15702-15703]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                     HONORING JUDGE MEYER M. CARDIN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Conaway). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, 2 days from today, July 14 of this year, 
Meyer M. Cardin would have turned 98 years of age. Meyer M. Cardin was 
a beloved member of the Maryland community. Meyer M. Cardin was the 
father of our colleague, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin).
  Judge Meyer Cardin was not only a wonderful human being, Mr. Speaker, 
but also a respected jurist, a committed public servant and a patriotic 
American. He was born in Baltimore on July 7, 1907, and then educated 
in the public schools of Baltimore City. He also attended the Army and 
Navy Prep School.
  He received his law degree from the University of Maryland Law School 
and was admitted to practice law in 1929, 10 years before I was born. 
Six years later in 1935 at the age of 27, Judge Cardin was elected to 
the Maryland House of Delegates and served in that body for 2 terms, 8 
years. At the time of his death, Mr. Speaker, he was the oldest 
surviving former member of the Maryland General Assembly.
  In 1955, Meyer Cardin became Chief Police Magistrate for Baltimore 
City and served in that post for 2 years. He then served as the Chief 
Judge of the traffic court in Baltimore City before becoming the 
Chairman of the Workmans Compensation Commission in 1958. Judge Cardin 
was then appointed as an Associate Judge of the Baltimore City Circuit 
Court by former Governor J. Millard Tawes in 1961 and served in that 
capacity until his retirement on his birthday July 14, 1977.
  Mr. Speaker, the true measure of a successful man or woman is not 
simply the personal accomplishments that I have articulated or 
something that they have achieved in terms of honors throughout the 
course of their life or in their professional career.
  No, Mr. Speaker, the true measure of a successful person is also 
whether they have made their community, their State, their church, in 
this case their synagogue, their Nation a better place and whether they 
have done their best to ensure that their children and the members of 
their family are contributing, productive members of our society. By 
this measure, Mr. Speaker, there can be no doubt that Meyer M. Cardin 
was an enormously successful human being.
  For some eight decades, the Cardin name has been synonymous with 
public service and civic-mindedness. That is due in large measure to 
the work of Meyer; his brother, Maurice, who practiced law at the 
family law firm and also served in the House of Delegates; his son, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) who is well known to us here for 
his intellect and commitment to public service; his son, Howard, who is 
a successful lawyer; and now, Mr. Speaker, his grandson, of whom he was 
extraordinarily proud, as he was proud of all of his grandchildren, 
John, who now serves in the House of Delegates.
  Mr. Speaker, tonight, I want to offer my condolences and the 
condolences of all my colleagues to my friend, the gentleman from 
Maryland (Mr. Cardin); to his brother, Howard; and to all of their 
family, to all of the friends of Judge Cardin.
  Meyer Cardin lived a long prosperous and productive life, but more 
importantly, he has set a strong example and created a legacy that will 
long endure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), 
the distinguished Democratic leader, a daughter of Baltimore, whose 
father was a very close friend of Meyer Cardin.
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I know the time is short so I wish to 
associate myself with the gentleman's magnificent and eloquent remarks 
about Meyer Cardin.
  I knew him when I was a little girl growing up in Baltimore. He was a 
friend of my father's, as the gentleman has said. What was wonderful 
about Meyer Cardin was not only the magnificent contribution he made to 
the community, to the civic life of Baltimore but the joy that he did 
take in his family. I will never, I will absolutely never forget his 
coming over here for the gentleman from Maryland's (Mr. Cardin) 
swearing in time and again, and the pride he took and the youthfulness 
up into his nineties that he always had.
  My condolences as well to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) 
and Myrna and also to Howard. And the pride they take in John running 
for office, this is not an easy task, although the Cardin name is a 
legendary one in Maryland. It is with great pride that we look to the 
service of the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) in the

[[Page 15703]]

House of Representatives, because when I was born, my father served in 
that same seat. It was configured differently all those many years ago, 
but nonetheless, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) still 
represents that part of Baltimore City and beyond.
  Again, the Cardin name is legendary, as the gentleman said, for eight 
decades. A gentle man, a lovely person, a sense of humor, a sense of 
history, a sense of community, a devoted family person. I hope that it 
is a comfort to the entire family that so many people mourn their loss 
and are praying for them at this sad time. But what a triumph to live 
such a respected life, such a fulfilled life well into his nineties.
  I think that God has rewarded him with what we all pray for, a long 
and happy life.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for her comments.
  Mr. Speaker, I know you are being kind on the timing.
  In closing, let me say this, Meyer M. Cardin was a good and decent 
human being. He was beloved by his family, beloved by his friends and 
his community and by his State. Meyer Cardin was a great American, a 
great human being, a great dad, a great grandfather, and he will be 
missed sorely. But the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi) is 
absolutely correct. His life was a joy and a triumph.

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