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* governor Ritchie of Maryland ^
- The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has called upon Albert C. Ritchie, governor of Maryland, to " practice what you preach.'/ In calling on Governor Ritchie to practice what he preached, the officials of the N. A. A. C. P. refer to a statement, made bv the Maryland governor in which he admonishes the people of the United States to "have faith in American institutions and in the American idea of democracy." The N. A. A. C. P., at the same time, was asking the governor to use his official power in bringing to justice the guilty persons who participated in the recent lynching in his own state.
' The N. A. A. C. P.. in this instance, issued a mighty challenge to the governor of Maryland when it said that, if the governor wanted the people to have faith in the American institutions, the opportunity was his to take the lead in his state, doing-all in his power to 'establish justice. The association was telling the Maryland governor that, if he had faith in the American institutions and in a democratic form of government, he should show it bv upholding law and order in Maryland. . ¦ In this connection, it might be stated that the name of Governor Ritchie has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States. Of course, we dp not believe th ¦; he is fit to be the president of the United States, because he comes from a state whose citizens arc dwarfed by racial prejudice. Her statesmen and officials are in the class that we commonly call "little'' men, blinded by ignorance and superstition. So far as we know. Governor Ritchie has done nothing, in an official way, which, indicates that he is anything above the average citizen of his state. We assume that the average citizens of his state believe in lynching, mob violence, and many other forms of lawlessness, and that +hev think nothing serious has been done when they have particinated in the lynching and burning of a human being.
Knowing of this horrible crime and further having the matter brought to his attention by the N. A. A. C. P., the governor will. no doubt, act in accordance with his intelligence and his sense of right and justice. If his svmnathies are with and for mob violence of this sor-t,- only a profunctory gesture will be made by him to bring the perpetrators to a trial; but, if he is in the ransre of presidential timber, he will vigorously and earnestly go about the matter in a way which will get results.
In the meanwhile, the peonle will observe his actions with a keen eye, praticularly because he has been mentioned as the possible Democratic nominee for the presidency of the United States.
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