Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-10-20
''R|TCH|E, THE
COMPETENT

A striking analysis Of Governor
Ritchie's record in the last four years
Is presented In an article In The Eve.
ming Sun.
Written without political prejudice
or feeling by q man wholly unbiased,
an independent. 1t drives home the
real reasons why the Governor was
renominated unanimously by his
party and why he will be reelected
by an unprecedented majority.
The sum and substance of the ar.
ticle is that the Governor has not only
devoted himself unsparingly and un-
selfishly to the work Of the State
with unusual ability and vigor. bu,
no has, to q degree not eQualled in
IL, other State IN the Country. Sc
cured the cooperation and services
n many instances without compen.
sation-of the very strongest anG
best citizens in the community, In his
efforts to place Maryland at the very
head of them all.
Some of the names that might be
mentioned here. as illustrating tn.
type of men who help make up thu
Richie administration are: DR.. Lew,
ellys F.. Barker, Emory L. 'Coblentz.
Dr. Hugh H. Young, DR.. ]. M. T. Fin
| ney, w. Mason Shehan; DR.. William
H. WEIGH, J. H. Mason Knox, Viii
liam Mines Maloy, Ezra B. Whitman
Lewis M. Milbourne, Harvey L
Cooper, ]. Frank Harper, DR.. Victoi
Cullen, DR.. Frank ]. Goodnow, w.
Bladen Lowndes. J. ]. Nelligan.
Joseph J. Hook, B. Howell Griswold
Jr., and many others.
Some Of these men serve on un.
paid boards. Most of them are
wholly independent politically, but
the big point is that they have beer
willing to serve the State under this
administration, and the State ha.
been heavy gamer.
The article under the caption
"Ritchie, the Competent" is in part
as follows:
-Four years ago, during the cam.
paign for Governor, I wrote in this
place that Albert G. Richie possessed
qualities of character and intellec.
which, IL he Is elected, may easily
raise him to a position in the esteem
of Marylanders' far highern than Thu
position he then held. He was al
that time regarded as an UNUSUAL.
competent and Industrious Attorney
General It is gratifying to find that
p: ation abundantly realized.
Governor Richie has undoubtedly
associated high order of statesman
ship and high standards as a publ.
man, with the Office, making 1t more
the position OF statesman, less the
Job OF a politician. reviving some Of
the standards Of the office which were
associated with 1t in earlier. days
Maryland has had reason to be, proud
Of its Chief Executive at all the con
ferences of Governors which have
been held since his term began.
after he has been in the spotlight
for four years, 1t is still possible to
say Of him that he has no trace
the demagogue about him. He make
his appeal to the public not by prett
phrases which they want to hear
but which, upon examination, arr
found to mean nothing either to the
man who speaks them or the mer
who hear them. Zone need not thinl
long to recall public characters who
have that habit.) He is a rea'
worker, possessed Of both industry
and capacity. That is more impor
tant than is the question Of whethe,
his record is 100 per cent. perfect
Every man is entitled to q few mis-
takes in his total score.
There can be no, doubt that hi
ranks extremely high among the Gov
ernors of the country. He Is q gen
tleman by birth and by education
possessed. however, of the common
touch. Such men are 80 rare in pub
lie life in America and demagogue.
so many that 1t would be the utmos
folly to retire the type once he wa,
found. Ntchie does the right thint
in public life, believe. largely by in
stinct, because his brain imagine
situations SO clearly that 1t is reall!
impossible for him to do less. HI
would see too clearly the poor hgur'
he would cut doing the lesser thing
"Such a man always sees clearl.
the point of view of his severest ant
most able critics, as q smaller maj
cannot do. The net result Is bette
for the public. Even those who crit
cize him most harshly grant him thi
high mental power.
"This is not an attempt to review
his administration. He may hav'
made some mistakes. But, to m,
mind. the net result has been infinite
ly superior to that Of any Governo
in the last twenty-five years. Their
Is no doubt about the service he ha
done the public school system of tn,
State, even II the charge the Repub
licans made in their platform to tn
effect that he appointed persons Il