Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-04

time departed from State political
precedent. Until 1928, when he rolled
up record majority for second
term. no Governor of Maryland ever
had been collected. 1t was pointed
out, too, that Gov. Ritchie'S seven CON
secutive years in office surpasses the
service Of any other present State eX-
ecutive, and success in the present
campaign would increase his tenure
five years for a mark unequaled by
any governor in American history.
Two Party Rivals.
Two other Democrats are already
in the race for the governorship. They
are William Mines Maloy. former
chairman OF the Public Service Com
mission, ana William >. Gordy, jr..
State controller. II was understood
withdrew his candidacy. one Repub-
lean decentralization A. Humphreys
u. ,9a.I.uury us III me ned.
In his platform Gov. Richie
stressed his opposition to Federal en-
croachment upon State rights, oppos-
ing especially the Nolstead law as
state enforcement measure, ratitica-
ton of the child labor amendment
and any action by Maryland APPROX
ing a Federal department of educa-
ton
The decision was hailed a. IAN
unprecedented political step" by the
governors associates. who point out
that he has served Maryland I
years to data greater length OF
time than any governor now In ONCE
in the country; that If reelected he
viii be afforded n record of II CON
secut;ve years-longer than any gov
ernor of any State in the country :
history, and that il is one of the
few times on record that man de-
liberately chooses to be governor in
preference TO being Senator" Gov.
Richie is Maryland's first executive
to serve more than one term. Until
1923, when he was reelected by an
UNPRECEDENTED ma jority, it had been
an unhroken rule that no governor
should be returned to the executive
mansion.
Sentiment in Decision.
The governor made II plain that his
decision was due TO sentiment-both
State and personal.
As to the former. he has received
petitions from the Democratic orgam-
cations of Baltimore and of II OF Mary
lands % counties outside the city OF
Baltimore, asking that he again make
the gubernatorial race. Regarding the
latter he said:
MARYLAND is the finest State / know
to live in and no one could nave
higher ambition than to be her gov
ernor. Some people have been gen
erous enough to suggest that L run
for the United States Senate he con
tinued But while in every way
grateful for the honor they do me. l
feel that after seven years in the or
flee of governor l can serve my State
better by doing what still lies ahead
in the field of State government than
/ could in the Senate"
In summarizing his stand on State
problems, Gov. Richie said: 1t is
hardly necessary to say that | am OPP
posed to all encroaChments by the
Federal Government upon the rights
of the. State of Maryland and the liber-
ties of our people.
"A governor has not the oppor-
tunity to resist effectively a good
many Federal entertainments. but he
is in a position to resist those which
require affirma tive official action by
his State. OF these, the principal ones
now proposed are three
Child Labor and Dry Law.
My position upon these is as fol-
lows:
Il am opposed to the Volstead law
as a State enforcement measure.
Il am opposed to the ratification of
the child labor amendment, because
| believe that the welfare of the child
is much better subserved if each
Safe has the responsibility of passing
its own needed LEGISLATION in conform.
ity with its own labor conditions, and
Lecause | 40 not want a Federal bu-
reau to fit children to bureaucratic
standards.
Il am opposed to any action by this
State approving Federal department
of education, or accepting for this
state the provisions of any act of
Congress enabling the Federal Gov
eminent to interfere, or to get a foot
rod here which may lead to inter
fering. with the free and unrestricted
rlgnt of the people OF Maryland to
continue to educate their children in
their own way as they have always
| DONE"