Evening star., 1923-05-27
DEMOCRATS DROP
FIGHT ON R|TCH|E
Conferences Result in His
Selection for Return to
Maryland Governorship.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
BALTIMORE, Md. May 26.-The
threatened fight against the renoml-
nation of Gov. Albert C. Ritchie has
collapsed as the Aesult of several
conferences this week between state
and city leaders of the democratic
party, and the ticket, which 1t is
claimed will be put on the ballot
without a primary contest, will be as
follows: For governor, Albert Z.
Ritchie of Baltimore city; for con-
troller William S. Gordy of Wicomico
county; for attorney general Thomas
H Robinson of Hartford county. If
the legislature to be elected this fall
is democratic, as is expected, John
M. Dennis will be reelected treas
urer
Senator John Walter Smith has
abandoned his efforts to bring John
NJ Dennis into the field to beat Gov.
Ritchie in the primaries and will
support the governor in return for
being allowed to name the candidate
for state controller-WilliamS S. Gordy.
Hugh A. McMullen of Allegheny
county, former controller, who an
nounced his candidacy for the guber-
material nomination some time ago,
will. it is believed. withdraw very
soon. Experienced political observ-
ers say Mr.. McMullen had been
around the state and had found the
RitChie sentiment very :~trong, and
for that reason they believe he will
withdraw from the race. Without
the support of Senator Smith no
candidate could hope to make any
showing in the primary. and with the
Smith action pledged to support
Ritchie there appears to be no doubt
that the governor will receive the
nomination unopposed
Relief to County Leaders.
Adjustment of party differences by
an agreement on this is d great relief
TO every democratic county leader in
Maryland. These men were facing a
bitter party division, d split that
might endanger party success at the
polls next November, and situation
such as the party passed through in
the fractional fights between the fol-
lowers of Blair Lee and Arthur p.
German.
The possibility of this rift in the
party has been avoided. and credit is
given Frank A. Furst. the city leader.
who held conference with Senator
Smith this week and. it is said. con-
vlnced the senator of the futility of
opposing the denomination of Ritchie.
Mr. FurSt'S friends say he took his
stand in favor of the denomination
nj R1tchle because he was convinced
that the people of the state wanted
him and that it would be impossible
to beat him in the primaries
in Strengthening out the complica-
tions of the party situation which had
developed within the past ten days
John NJ. Dennis helped. He had not
considered very seriously his Sug-
gested candidacy for the gubernato-
rial nomination and all last week
while he would not commit himself on
the possibility of his own candidacy,
he had been trying to avoid a party
fight and bring about harmony.
Republicans Make Peace.
On the republican side the week
also has been featured by the bury
ing of the hatchet in the feud that
has existed between Senator O. E.
Weller and former Gov. Philip Lee
Goldsborough for the past eight years
and the selection of Attorney General
Alexander Armstrong of Hagerstown
TO be the gubernatorial candidate of
the party next November.
The slate discussed by city repub-
lfcanS who are closely following
party Developments is that Armstrong
is to run for governor, Stengle w
Marine. states attorney of Dorches-
ter county, for attorney general, and
there is some talk of asking John
w. Garrett of Baltimore city to run
for controller.
This slate, it is said, has been