The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-10-10
THE PARTY AND THE
INDIVIDUAL.

Under the above title the Crisfield
Times prints the following editorial
In a vigorous denfense of Governor
Ritchie's candidacy for fourth term,
the estimable Pocomoke City Worces-
ter Democrat takes this newspaper to
task for its opposition to the govern
or's denomination, and brands our edi-
torial treatment of the subject as an
ill-founded political harangue, made
up generalities and scary-headlines,
which expressed our own violent" OPP
position that exists throughout the
State.
1t is not surprising that the POGO
moke City newspaper should rush to
the defense of Governor Richie, for
while the scholarly editor of that es-
Unable publication manifests, at
times, some degree of ability to think
clearly and see in straight line, his
pagan worship Of the governor, so APP
parent in his recently published eXhor-
tations, has unquestionably blinded
him to true conditions in Maryland
and rendered him unable to distinguish
between a question Of party welfare
and the qualification of a dangerous
political ambition.
Our personal relations with the gov
ernor have always been cordial and
our own violent" opposition to his re-
nomination did not call forth the edi-
toral to which the Pocomoke City
newspaper takes exception. The ques-
ton at issue, we think, does not neces-
state an expression of our private
opinion, based solely upon our per-
sonal feelings-but rather demands
frank and intelligent Interpretation of
public sentiment in Maryland as it re-
lates to Governor Richie and his
availability as a candidate for renomi-
nation at the hands of the Democratic
party. And it was in the interpreted
ton of public sentiment, and not in eX-
preston of our own personal opinion
that our editorial was promoted. We
are concerned, not with the political
future of Governor Richie, but with
the future of the Democratic party.
Among business men and political
leaders of high and low degree, among
professional men, tradesmen, water
men, packers, farmers, and the house
wives in their homes, the opposition of
the continued domination of Governor
Richie is so emphatic that we had
thought the situation obvious to every
one except the governor himself-so
obvious in fact, that Bill of Particu-
lars would be supertiuous. 1t now APP
pears, however, that Governor Richie
is not alone in his sublime ignorance
of true conditions, but that the versa
tile Pocomoke City scribe is also deaf
to the muttering of the multitudes and
the rumbling Of the approaching
storm.
With due regard for the scholarly
attainments and the judgment par eX-
cellence Of the Pocomoke City editor
we must disagree with him on the
proposition that there is no one else
in Maryland except Governor Richie
capable Of guiding the old Ship of
State safely" OF Of leading the Dem
ocratic party to victory" Without de-
tracing in the least from the extraor-
binary ability which he Attributes to
the governor, we must insist that the
State Of Maryland and the Democratic
party, although admittedly in sore
straits, have not yet reached such a
sorry plight that Mr.. Richie is the
only living being who possesses those
qualifications of craftsmanship and
political popularity essential in the
election Of a governor and in the adj
ministration Of the affairs of state. At
that, however, the proposition is not
entirely new--we seem to have heard
it advanced before, from quarters and
through channels which lead suspic-
iously close to the State House on the
Severn. And it has been so oft re-
peated that certain class of the Rit-
chic job-holders and pie-counter
habitues now broadcast it with as
much solemnity as they would accord
the Ten Commandments or the Col
den Rule.
We experience no difficulty in re-
calling any of the miraculous achieve
ments which mark Governor Richie
as the Greatest Executive" the "Saf-
est Pilot" the ability ITO administer
the affairs of the state better than
anyone else" or any of the many other
super qualities with which the POGO
moke editor, in his childlike worship,