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'''Albert Ritchie''' (1876 –1936), a leading conservative Democrat in the 1920s and 1930s was the governor of Maryland from 1920 to 1935.  Ritchie campaigned for, but did not win, the Democratic presidential nomination in both 1924 and 1932.  He was an efficiency oriented progressive, similar to [[Herbert Hoover]], but spoke out for limited government and self help, becoming a hero to conservative Democrats who opposed prohibition.

'''Albert Ritchie''' (1876 –1936), a leading conservative Democrat in the 1920s and 1930s was the governor of Maryland from 1920 to 1935.  Ritchie campaigned for, but did not win, the Democratic presidential nomination in both 1924 and 1932.  He was an efficiency oriented progressive, similar to [[Herbert Hoover]], but spoke out for limited government and self-help, becoming a hero to conservative Democrats who opposed prohibition.

==Early life and family==

==Early life and family==

By early 1931 unemployment stood at 19.2%. Governor Ritchie was a stalwart opponent of federal intervention in state affairs, and continued to urge programs sponsored by the business community itself. Social welfare agencies based on state support expanded services as much as possible, but beyond pushing ahead with all feasible public works projects the state did little. Baltimore established a Commission on Employment Stabilization but found work for only one-fifth of the job-seekers. Baltimore relief agencies were soon overwhelmed and the election of Mayor Howard W. Jackson, although bringing about municipal loans to the Citizens' Emergency Relief Committee, showed that local aid was simply inadequate. Ritchie agreed to issue state bonds to aid Baltimore, but would not borrow from President [[Herbert Hoover]]'s new [[Reconstruction Finance Corporation]] until mid-1933, and his luxury tax program met stiff opposition from county representatives opposed to new tobacco taxes. Originally planned for $8 million, the Baltimore bond issue had to be $12 million as the state economy floundered. Only reluctantly was federal assistance finally accepted.<ref>Charles M. Kimberly,  "The Depression in Maryland: the Failure of Voluntaryism," ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' 1975 70(2): 189-202,</ref>

By early 1931 unemployment stood at 19.2%. Governor Ritchie was a stalwart opponent of federal intervention in state affairs, and continued to urge programs sponsored by the business community itself. Social welfare agencies based on state support expanded services as much as possible, but beyond pushing ahead with all feasible public works projects the state did little. Baltimore established a Commission on Employment Stabilization but found work for only one-fifth of the job-seekers. Baltimore relief agencies were soon overwhelmed and the election of Mayor Howard W. Jackson, although bringing about municipal loans to the Citizens' Emergency Relief Committee, showed that local aid was simply inadequate. Ritchie agreed to issue state bonds to aid Baltimore, but would not borrow from President [[Herbert Hoover]]'s new [[Reconstruction Finance Corporation]] until mid-1933, and his luxury tax program met stiff opposition from county representatives opposed to new tobacco taxes. Originally planned for $8 million, the Baltimore bond issue had to be $12 million as the state economy floundered. Only reluctantly was federal assistance finally accepted.<ref>Charles M. Kimberly,  "The Depression in Maryland: the Failure of Voluntaryism," ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' 1975 70(2): 189-202,</ref>

Ritchie had a pipe dream of becoming the Democratic nominee for president in 1932; but on the first ballot of the convention he had a mere 21 delegates to 664 for [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] was well-received at the 1932 Chicago convention. He claimed that FDR's people had offered him the vice presidential nomination.<ref>James Levin, "Governor Albert C. Ritchie and the Democratic Convention of 1932," ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' 1972 67(3): 278-293</ref>

Ritchie had a pipe dream of becoming the Democratic nominee for president in 1932; but on the first ballot of the convention he had a mere 21 delegates to 664 for [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] was well received at the 1932 Chicago convention. He claimed that FDR's people had offered him the vice presidential nomination.<ref>James Levin, "Governor Albert C. Ritchie and the Democratic Convention of 1932," ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' 1972 67(3): 278-293</ref>

===Defeated for fifth term===

===Defeated for fifth term===