The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-10-25
MIR. ARMSTRONG AND HIS
PARTY WELL RECEIVED
In Oakland When They Address
ed a Largely Attended Mass
Meeting Tuesday Night

The most enthusiastic Republican
mass meeting held in many years in
Oakland was that of Tuesday evening
at the Maryland Theatre which was
presided over by District Superinten-
dent Archibald Moore, of the Netho-
dist Episcopal church. DR.. Moore's
address and his Introductory remarks
were IN keeping with the high Office
he holds in the church and his pres
ence at the gathering gave it that tone
which has pCrmeated the meetings of
Attorney General Armstrong in other
parts of the State.
The meeting at the theatre was pre-
ceied by a well organized and large
torch light procession, headed by the
Crellin band with the Oakland band
leading the second division. The pro-
caSsion, Notwithstanding the down
pour Of rain, marched over the prin-
cipal streets Of town and ended at
the doors of the theatre.
Alexander Armstrong, Republican
candidate for Governor, in his address
in Oakland Tuesday evening, criticized
Governor Ritchie's reorganization
bill, the Fewer Election Law and pre-
scented figures to show waste and ex-
travagence in the present State adj
ministration.
Before reorganization" said Mr..
Armstrong, eve had 50 boards and
commissions. We still have so boards
and commissions, functioning substan-
TALLY as before. There has been a
little change here and there, q change
Of a name, a reassignment for work,
a few appointees dropped and few
more added there, but without the
elimination Of a single State agency of
importance"
As an illustration Of what had been
done, Mr.. Armstrong cited the Secre-
tary of State, who, under the reorgan-
ization plan had been assigned" to
the executive department, Just where
he always has BEEN Mr.. Armstrong
sad. "No change in his duties; no
nen' duties added"
Summarizing, he said that by the
reorganization plan the Governor had
lost 10 appointments and had gained
IS, net gain of five; that there had
been a decrease of S15, 1924 in salaries
and an increase Of S78,316, a net in
crease in salaries of S62,392
Of the fewer election laws, Mr..
Armstrong said that the fact that the
people Of the State had ratified it did
not relieve the Democratic party from
responsibility of taking away from
the people their right to elect their
State and local officials once every two
years instead of once every four
years. ii the people had known what
was in the law, he asserted, they new
er would have voted for it.
Every second year." continued Mr.
Armstrong, Congressional elections
must be held, At the same time and
without any additional expense, State
and county officials also could be voted
upon. The Democratic leaders, how
ever. with the approval of Governor
Richie, objected to this plan because
they believed that at the Presidential
election the people might possible
elect certain Republican State and
county officials who would not other,
wise be chosen.
For the purpose of saving a few
positions to the Democratic party,
its leaders were willing to deprive
the voters Of Maryland of the right
enjoyed since 1867 to vote every two
years for State and county officers,
which they could have continued to
enjoy without additional expense"
Mr.. Armstrong also pointed out and
cited statistics showing how under the
present national administration, the
cost Of running the government had
been cut, while under Governor Ritch-
les contemporaneous State admins
traticn, the cost Of conducting the
States affairs had increased,
I'm 1920, the actual cash outlay in
Maryland was S12,3O4, $4,000" he
said, while in 1922 under Gov
ernor Ritchie's extravagant leader
ship the cash expenditures by the Ma
ryland State government amounted to
$17,688, 353.21. To put it more plain
ly, Governor Richie, in two years
time, increased the cash actually ex-
pended for State governmental pur-
poses by the enormous sum of APP
proXimately five and one-half millions
of dollars.
(Which is entitled to the credit for
the bridges, roads, hospitals and other
construction work completed in Mary
land duIiuer that nnriod Govarno,.