The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-13
ASSERTS
HOUSE CLEANING
MUST Be FORCED
Governor Of Maryland
Sounds Keynote At Jeff
ersOn Day Dinner

NEW YORK, April 12.-The
American people are ON the threshold
Of a great struggle of the states to
regain their lost rights and to retain
their present ones against the increas-
ingly insistent encroachments of CEN
tralized federal power, at variance with
American policy, Governor Albert G.
Richie of Maryland declared tonight
before the Jefferson Day banquet of
the National Democratic club.
The struggle to keep American
ideals and to preserve American IN
situations against latter-day misuses
and neutrality-suspicious. overshadowed
all other issues, he said, since mo high
purpose either at home or abroad, ever
has been or can be accomplished by
America, except through those ideals
and institutions.
Governor Richie was one of the
principal speakers at the clubs ban
quet, held annually on the anniversary
of the birth of Thomas Jefferson, which
this year will be tomorrow. Other
speakers who addressed the diners in
the Hotel Commodore were Governor
George s. Silzer of New Jersey; John
w. Davis, former ambassador to Great
Britain, and ]. Bruce Kramer, ma
tional committeeman from Montana.
Many democratic members of both
houses of Congress were present.
Cites History
Governor Richie, emphasizing the
strength of the institutions conceived
in the eighteenth century by the Ameri-
can founders, pointed out that through
out the nineteenth century, which saw
the United States attain ascendancy in
manifold aspects of its national life,
during which the country developed
into the greatest nation in the world,
no amendment was made to the consti-
tuition save the three which followed
the Civil war.
From 1904 to 1918. he said, Ameri-
cans retained the beliefs that that
nation is best governed which is least
governed" and that national unity and
national harmony were only possible
so long as the nation kept within the
limits of its domain and left the states
free within the limits of theirs"
Later, the governor went on, laws
were enacted and constitutional amend
ments adopted, (which one by one are
eating into the very heart of the Ameri
can nation, because they are breaking
down the sovereignty of the American
state, and substituting for that sacred
thing an incompetent, extravaganza. I'M
American control radiating from Wash
instOn."
The situation has arisen, he con-
tinued, partially because it was pos
sible for majorities in the legislatures
of SO states to impose their will on
the nation. The vote of 2,316 mem
bers of these bodies, he said, could
write into the constitution any amend
ment they chose to ratify without any
appeal to the people for that action.
And these legislators, with rare ex-
ceptions, he said, were "harrasseh by
the threats and Establishments of or
ganized minorities until their will and
their sense or right crumple and fall
helpless to the ground"
Would Avoid Amendment
"f I had my way, there is one CON
stitutional amendment which should he
adopted. and none other should be con-
sidered until that became part of our
organic law. 1t is an amendment which
would provide that no further amend
mentS to the constitution should've made
unless each state is given the right to
IeleFeHuunl 10 tne people upon the
action of its legislature in ratifying any
proposed amendment"
The federal government he main
tanned, had usurped powers rightfully
belonging to the states and susceptible
to better, more efficient and more eco
nomical administration by them, and
had invaded the pocketbooks of the tax
payers.
A message of regret was received
from Franklin ID. Roosevelt, democratic
candidate for the vice presidency at
the last election.
Telegraphing from Long Key, Fla.
he. assured the club: ~ have not seen
nor associated with Messrs. Daugherty,
Slemp or Ned Mclean, but have con
fined my social visits to William Jen-
nings Bryan and William II. Kelly and
Norman Mack"
No Scandal
Since the Civil war, said Mr.. Roose-
velt's message, the democratic admins
tration had been untouched by govern
mental scandal, while the republican
ones of johnson. Grant, Hayes, Arthur,
Mckinley and Taft had been so married.
In an address bristling with refer
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