The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1927-02-24
RITCHIE SEEN AS CANDI-
DATE TO SUCCEED HIMSELF
General Belief Among Politicians
that CObIentz, Lee and Others
Will Not Oppose Him.
(By PAUL WINCHESTER)


ually survey the future and consider
the chances for the attainment of
their ambition, and deals which are
to be carried out in the near and often
rather distant future also, are gener-
ALLY planned at Annapolis, ana this
custom has been followed every ses-
sion since the State of Maryland was
organized into a sovereign common
wealth century and a half ago.
The present session will not be an
exception to this time-honored rule.
Already, with the half of the term
gone into history, the usual scheming
is under way, and prospective candi-
dates for the National House of Rep
resentatives and for the Senate to be
elected next year are heard of in
goodly numbers in all parts of the
State, while the number of able gen.
tlemen of more or less prominence
and popularity who desire to succeed
the present Governor is greater than
usual; and these distinguished Mary
landers following the time-honored
custom are taking time by the fore
lock, as all their successful predeces-
sors have done on the well-established
theory that those earliest in the field
usually have the best start in the race
for the gubernatorial nomination.
Yet over and above the gubernatorial
dreams of all these ambitious young
men, for all are comparatively young,
looms the dark cloud caused by the un-
certainty of the future plans of the
present Governor who is now for the
third time reigning in the place, two
of which terms should have been
awarded to others, according to the
ancient, unwritten rule of Maryland
politics. These gentlemen are not
afraid to join issue with each other.
Mr.. Lee, Mr.. Coblentz, Mr.. Mackall
and Mr.. Mcintosh have no dread of a
fight with any one or any two of those
who may enter the lists, but all fear
that a sign from Governor Richie
that he may desire to serve at Annap-
oils for a fourth term would scatter all
their forces, leave them naked before
a political wave and present to them
the spectacle of the present Governor,
standing alone and unchallenged in
the field with all his willing competi-
tors scattered in confusion around the
political horizon. He has already done
this and he has done it three times
with such ease and with so little ap-
parent effort that his success here
tofore will, no doubt, encourage him
to q renewal and thus enable him to
clear the way before himself and per-
NIT him to make fourth truimphal
march to the ancient home of Mary
lands reigning executives. 1t is the
deeply seated belief that this will take
place in 1881, that the campaign in
that year will be repetition of the
one last year; that Governor Richie
will desire at the end of his present
term to remain at Annapolis, and that
no one will have the hardihood to
stand in his way, which renders mute
the several gentlemen who would like
to be Governor of their native State.
All ale afraid of Richie: they all
have in their minds what he has al
ready done; that he has broken all
the historic precedents of the COM
monwealth, and that he will find less
difficulty in breaking precedents in the
future than he has in the past and
that he will not hesitate to do so.
should it be his desire and that all in
dications now are that such will be
his desire and that when the time
comes his desire will be gratifed. And
as a prophecy of the future, the
Speaker Of the House of Delegates,
Major Lee, who in a large measure
possesses the qualifications to make a
good candidate for the gubernatorial
succession, and, who would unques-
tionably fill the place with honor and
distinction, recently, when asked as to
his aspiration in that regard, said
with emphatic promptness, 81 am for
Richie for another term when the
time comes"
To the suggestion that by that time
the Governor might have become bit
tie shopworn, he expressed decided
dissent and repeated his former state
ment: 81 am for Richie" How
Messrs. Coblentz, Mackall and McIn-
tosh feel about the fourth term is un-
known, but the probabilities are that
they think as Major Lee does, and, if
they do not think so now they will
doubtless do so three years hence,
when the time for action has arrived,
and, if the present Governor gets in
the field all will scamper out of his
way, believing that it will be as hope
less then to oppose him as it has been
at any time during the past eight
4 years.
He will make mistakes" say many
people who Judge the present and the
future largely by the past. "And dur
! mo tho erls11inor faur wars HE mic