Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-04-26

Question As To Nominees For State
Offices Rather Early But Does Not
Establish A Precedent. Ex-Geyer-
nor Warfield Was A Candidate Five
Years Before Chosen.
To The Editor OF The Capital:
The probable candidacy of State
Senator Orlando Harrison for the
Democratic nomination for Gov. next
year has brought about considera-
ton of the question as to nominees for
State offices rather early, although
no earlier than has been the case on
several occasions in past years. Elk
Governor Frank Brown was in the
field six years before he finally secur-
ed the nomination; and Ex-Governor
Warfield was an avowed candidate
FIVE years before he was chosen in
1903. Farther back. the late Governor
Hamilton was a candidate in 1875 and
was not nominated until 1879. Sena-
tor John Walter Smith was a candi
date for more than two years before
he was named, and the late Gen. l..
Victor Baughman, and Col Buchanan
Schley were avowed candidates for
years, and both were doomed to dis
appointment as were the late Thomas
G. Hayes, Judge William \. Fisher and
Henry Williams. In fact, it has been
the rule rather than the exception for
men, ambitious to become Governor,
TO announce their candidacy long be-
fore they were successful, and quiet
campaigns for the nomination for the
highest office in the State have usually
been under way for many months be-
fore the people were called upon to
make their choice So there is moth
ing unusual or unprecedented in these
early discussions of candidates; in
deed the precedents are nearly all in
favor of such early action, and the
gentlemen who are now considering
the possibility of going into the fight
are only following the example set
by long line of distinguished prede-
cessors who have not hestitated to let
the public know what they wanted In
coming forward and giving the peo-
pie an opportunity to size up their
ability and qualifications this early,
the gentlemen who are looking for
ward to a possible or probable can
didacy for the succession TO Governor
Harrington are performing a public
service and should be commended for
their frankness in thus taking the vOt-
ers into their confidence Here we
are" they say There are several
of us who would like to have the NOM
inatiOn. Our entrance into the arena
shows that we believe that we are
competent, but it is for you to decide.
We must submit our claim to you.
You are the judges. Hear us all,
give us fair chance, and we will sub
nit to your verdict, and Loyalty sup
port your selection at the election"
And il is surprising when the list of
availables is examined to see how
many there are who may safely be
classed as "gubernatorial timber"
Some of them may not be considered
available owing to their political ALI
ance, others because of location, and
still others for different reasons, but
the man who may be nominated from
among these who are now looked up
on as possible candidates. in a fair,
honest. and unhampered primary cleo |
ton, would undoubtedly be supported |
by the mass of the Democratic and in |
dependent voters of the State and |
would, with equal certainty, win-for |
the Democratic majority in Maryland |