The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-09-25

executive, who is seeking his fol
greatness when he yielded to tn,
held Governor Richie responsible for
the recent penitentiary riot and for the
defalcations in the State Roads Com
mission offices.
A grave crisis in the constitution
al history of Maryland was declared
by the document to exist in the state,
through the ambition of a single in
dividual for continuous political DOM
nation" From first to the last, the
three administrations of the present
Governor of this state have been
tinged with the m st sinister design
to revise the theory of our govern
ment as to perpetuate this tenure of
Office and to gather into his own hands
the whole power of the state, the plat
form charged.
Has Obtained Vast Power
"Since 1919, he has, through The pre-
ponderance of his party in the legis-
lature and by use of his own power of
patronage, succeeded in altering the
plan of our government by the pas
sage of his pretended system of reor-
ganization so as to effectually con-
centrate within himself the power not
only to direct all executive functions,
but also to violate through such con-
troll the independence of the legisla-
ture ITSELF"
Touching on the state budget sys-
TEN, the platform declared it had in
augurated in the Republican platform
of 1915 for the purpose Of systematic
ing the state expenditures and dimin-
ishing the cost of state government.
Having reduced the function of the
state legislature to mere formality
Governor Richie has used
the budget to reward or punish the
officers and employees of the state ac-
cording to their political conduct" the
declaration charged.
Senate Power Usurped
The platform declared the power of
the state senate had been usurped by
Governor Richie through failure to
submit many state appointees to that
body in "f1agrant violation" of the
State Bill of Rights, calling for ."rota-
ton Tin office) as one of the best Sc
curities of permanent freedom"
The speculations in the Office of the
State Roads Commission were scored
as result of continuation in Office"
and Governor Richie was charged
with building roads for political ex-
pediency." The roads plank cited the
record of former Senator Ovington E.
Weller as chairman of the State Roads
Commission, during which time Mary
land took rank with the finest roads in
the nation, and this without the loss
of single dollar to the taxpayers
or even the slightest suspicion of
graft"
"What a striking contrast this rec
ord presents to the inefficiency, inepti-
tude and dishonesty in the affairs of
the State Roads Commission during
the regime of the present governor"
the platform said. "We favor a lib
eral extension of the state roads sys-
tenn, but upon set program for each
year."
Expenditures Mount -
The platform declared that the high
cost of state government during the
administration of Governor Richie
'has been mounting year by year, de-
spite the false claim that taxes have
been reduced by reason of a lower tax
rate"
Attacking the claim of Governor
Richie for the excellence of the state
school system, the Republican decla-
ration says that the county institu-
lions have been invaded by the politi-
cal power of the governor and that the
schools of Baltimore under the Broen-
ing administration have brought the
standard up to the average, which
gives Maryland it's high rating.
CLEARING evidences of inefficiency
and laxity in the management of our
prisons and the most complete disre-
gard of the Importance of rehabili-
tating the inmates for future useful
ness" is charged against the present
administration, which also is assailed
for the delay in constructing a new
state penitentiary as "inexcusable."
Labor Rights Disregarded
The present administration has dis
regarded "the rights of labor in that
Cnere IS pdlu III various cOuHIleS
wage to unskilled labor which is less
than the current wage paid by private
employers" the platform says, and
takes a position opposing the use of
convict labor in construction of the
new state penitentiary in Washington
county.
Retention and development of the
water power of the state for the peo-
pie of the state, "and not bartered