A Tribute to former Carroll County Delegate Richard C. Matthews
December 26th, 2007 by
Recently, the death of former Carroll County Delegate Richard C. Matthews caused me to pause in thought about the many county leaders that have gone before us - and how they dealt with challenges. Delegate Matthews passed away on Dec. 13, 2007, at the age of 81.
As 2007 draws to a close and we all look forward (or not) to the opportunities and challenges of 2008, the lull between Christmas and New Years Day is often the time of some retrospection and assessment.
Anecdotally, this theme of reflection on the past year and thoughts of the future year has been shared with me by several community leaders in a number of conversations.
Of course, for an historian, there are always examples of past periods of time when the community had overwhelming problems in which the current challenges pale in comparison. Nevertheless that information provides us with little solace today.
In November, over the Veterans Day weekend, I attended a conference on “The Presidency and the Supreme Court.” Conversations with other historians about past eras in American history certainly put today’s challenges in a certain perspective. Be relieved as I will spare you a column on constitutional and economic challenges “The Revenue Act of 1862.”
Off the top of my head, in
In 2008 we can all look forward to some solutions to the many pressing challenges in our community. Perhaps you have a list of your own that you may want to share. If so, drop me an e-mail.
On July 30, when the acclaimed enigmatic Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman, 89, passed away, I wrote that he drew much of his inspiration by attempting to figure out the various, often-conflicting dynamics of a small college town. His movies often made me think of
Mr. Bergman, like so many community leaders – present or long-since passed away- spent a lifetime engaged in mortal combat with the big questions of mortality, morality, faith, community, existence, family, despair, and betrayal.
The
Like making sausage, our quality of life was furthered by the relationships of folks combining their efforts so that the whole was greater than the sum of its parts, but it was often foreboding, disenchanting, and bewildering to watch it happen.
Delegate Matthews represented Carroll County in Annapolis from 1967 to 1994 and for many of those years was the chairman of the Carroll County legislative delegation. It was during the period of his service to our community that history is sure to reflect there were enormous changes in
His sure and steady, unassuming yet confident leadership served
He graduated from Hampstead High School in 1943. In Annapolis he was champion of small business and in that role, he was a charter member of the Maryland Legislative Small Business Forum.
He knew the challenges of running a small business in Maryland - most certainly as a result of the fact that from 1946 until he passed away, he owned and operated Matthews Service Station and Matthews Tire Co. Many folks recall that he was also the owner and operator of Hampstead Auto Parts from 1957 until 1985.
Many years ago, I did some business with him and in later years, at social occasions and community events, we would laugh about the fact that he defeated my cousin, Wilbur Magin, in the 1967 election. Delegate Magin served
I will always remember him as thoughtful and friendly; qualities that former Delegate Joe Getty echoed in a recent conversation. Former Delegate Getty said that Delegate Matthews was a family friend. He noted that Delegate Matthews was a “very modest, yet a strong advocate for small businesses and
Delegate Getty continued:
“Dick maintained a self-defined role in the Maryland House of Delegates in his representation of a rural agricultural community and representing the small mom and pop businesses.
Of course, he ran a small business himself. He kept rooted in his advocacy of small business and in that role, he found the right committee – the House Judiciary Committee.
He had no aspirations of higher office. He was confident and self-assured in the role that he played. In 1989, when Carroll County Senator Ray Beck was appointed to be a Circuit Court judge by Governor Wm. Donald Schaeffer.
In those days, I was on the Republican Central Committee. If you will recall, when there is a vacancy, it is the local
Don Taylor and I were asked to interview Delegate Matthews. We called him up and he told us to meet with him over at his Mom and Dad’s house.
There, in his Mom and Dad’s living room, the subject was broached that Dick was the logical person to move up to the Senate seat. He had no interest. He responded that he was very happy where he was.”
As to why Delegate Matthews was so influential and helped shape the Carroll County we know today, Mr. Getty reminded me that during Delegate Matthews’ “long tenure as an elected official, he served with – or worked with folks, whose span of leadership goes from the 1950s to the present.”
Including folks like Maryland State Senator Charles H. Smelser and former 6th District Congressman Goodloe E. Byron when he was a Maryland State Senator. He also served with Maryland State Delegate – and later a Senator, Raymond E. Beck and Senator Larry Haines; Delegates Richard N. Dixon, Lanny Harchenhorn and Jake Yingling.
Former Governor Robert L. Ehrlich thought highly of Delegate Matthews and considered him a good friend. They served 8 years together served on the house judiciary committee. Every time Governor Ehrlich visited anywhere near Hampstead, he would make sure to stop by (Delegate Matthews) tire store.
Delegate Matthews’ sure and steady, unassuming yet confident leadership served
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E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org or kevindayhoff AT gmail.com
His columns and articles appear in The Tentacle - www.thetentacle.com; Westminster Eagle Opinion; www.thewestminstereagle.com, Winchester Report and The Sunday Carroll Eagle – in the Sunday Carroll County section of the Baltimore Sun. Get Westminster Eagle RSS Feed
“MD Senate President Mike Miller, aka the “Silver Fox” can punch.
September 21, 2006 © Kevin Dayhoff
MD Senate President Mike Miller allegedly punches opponent supporter
The WBAL radio web site is carrying a story that “A Prince George's County developer is accusing Maryland Senate President Mike Miller of punching him:”
I got a phone yesterday (Wednesday) evening that at a land-use hearing in southern Maryland - Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert and Prince George’s Cos.) took offense at an individual’s verbal support of the President Miller’s opponent and it was alleged that he hauled-off and punched him.
I appreciated the tip (from a very reliable source,) however, I held back with the blaze-on fingers at the keyboard because of the serious nature of the mere suggestion of an act of violence by none-other than the president of the Maryland Senate. If that really happened, it is a serious miss-step on the part of our Maryland Senate president. One of many in the last year or so.
Before you draw any conclusions, bear in mind that this will undoubtedly quickly become a “he said – she said.”
And true to form, as I scoured for addition news reports on the incident, early Thursday afternoon, the Baltimore Sun has come riding-in to the rescue. In their version of the story, “Miller said the charges are "absolutely, unequivocally" not true.”
Advancing age allows me to recognize political silliness when I see it and when nonsense like this blazes across my computer screen, I look for reliable sources. Not included on that list when it comes to politics is the
Many of the Sun’s business writers, arts, … and many of the other features of the paper, I can read and enjoy. However, I take whatever the Sun’s political writers say with a grain of salt and plenty of collateral reading before I draw any conclusions.
To that end, one writer I have followed for a number of years, S. A. Miller of the Washington Times also reported exculpatory information: “Mr. (Mike) Miller's spokeswoman, however, said nothing happened. ‘It's not true,’ Lisa McMurray said last night. ‘I don't know what to tell you.’”
Well, I know what to tell ya. Considering the erratic behavior of the Senate president in the last year, many are going to be predisposed to believe that President Miller has become unglued.
Meanwhile, as this latest Sumu wrestling match plays itself out, the fracas needs to moved to the side of the road while potential leadership in the state sticks to the real issues that affect the average voter at the family dinner table. Politicians behaving badly rains on everyone’s parade, no matter what party.
Which brings us to one more thing, before the humor begins.
For Pete’s sake, one can easily characterize the behavior of a number of the members of
The once proud Maryland General Assembly is already the laughing stock of the nation. However, as much as any of us can mutter under their breath that the august institution deserves that accolade, ultimately, such a characterization of Maryland’s lawmaking body is a reflection upon all of us and eventually, inevitably, all of us are hurt by the Maryland General Assembly’s recent lapses in judgment and childish behavior.
Anyway the Sun reports that it is all a misunderstanding. The paper managed to dig up additional information and reports, “Yates Clagett, who works for the Prince George's County Soil Conservation District and attended the meeting, said” President Miller was just playing with the alleged victim, a developer, Leo Bruso of Land and Commercial Incorporated.
However, for those of us who have read the Sun for years, we have certainly never-ever witnessed the Sun only tell part of the story or engage in selective quotation to promulgate a liberal-biased point of view. Of course not.
None of the other publications that have covered the story have provided extensive exculpatory information. One only wishes that the Baltimore Sun would work as hard to find “the rest of the story,” when it reports upon the activities of Republicans.
As far as the alleged boxing match incident with President Slugger Miller (aka Slugger,) one cannot be everywhere to witness the random acts of violence that are the foundation of
Hopefully we have come a long way since the election riots of 1856 in
I mean, everyone is aware that politics in
I usually like to refer to politics in
Only apparently it is being alleged that President Miller didn’t get the memo - that we can take our politics seriously but we’re not supposed to actually “contact” one another in a public discourse.
Sticks and stones can break your bones but words will never hurt you.
Allegedly, President Miller is finished with the hurtful words and is now “taking off the gloves” to duke it out with his opponents.
It has not been a good year for President Miller. All the warning signs have been evident for those of us who are trained to recognize the potential of a person to resort to violence.
Then in the same article, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley picked up the rhetoric by saying: “‘The Democratic Party’s message has become clearer with every passing year with the failures of the Ehrlich administration,’ O’Malley said. ‘’We are prepared for battle.’”
Surely, the fit and buff soft-spoken mayor did not expect his lieutenants to put up their dukes?
But the Gazette writers then warned Governor Ehrlich and
President Slugger Miller’s quotes were subsequently ubiquitously posted on the second floor of the Maryland State House.
On January 23rd, 2006, Jon Ward wrote a
Well apparently in addition to Kool-Aid, any opponent that crosses President Slugger Miller’s path may also need smelling salts.
In the same article by Jon Ward: “Lenny Alcivar, Mr. Steele's campaign spokesman, said his office was aware of Mr. Miller's quote. ‘think it's safe to say that given the broad support that the lieutenant governor and the governor are clearly showing and given the feedback from Marylanders ... [Mr. Miller] will wake up one day soon and regret that lapse in judgment,’ Mr. Alcivar said.”
Perhaps the day that President Slugger Miller woke up to regret those words was earlier this morning. Meanwhile there is no confirmation that President Miller is awaked to the theme song from the Sylvester Stallone movie series, “Rocky.” One can just see President Slugger Miller in front of the mirror in the morning, repeating to himself, “I’m a contender. I’m a contender,” as he shadow boxes his way to some orange juice, yogurt and toast.
And speaking of toast there have been many whispers in the hallways that Senate president’s longstanding run may be coming to a close. Chances are that Anne Arundel voters will return President Miller to the Senate as they have for the past “31 years, 19 of them as Senate president.” (S. A. Miller, Washington Times, Sept. 21, 2006)
However, many believe that it is time for the Senate president to retire. It is looking like there will be some changes in the Democratic make-up of the Senate for the next legislative session and whispers in the hallway are that folks want a change. The courts have overturned several legislative initiatives of the Democratic leadership in the last several months and many voters are having conversations over the kitchen table and the backyard fence that all the anti-gubernatorial gotcha obstructionism and partisan politics are getting old.
President Mike Miller – oh he’s a contender all right – for retirement.
Kevin Dayhoff writes from
Miller – Md Senate Pres. Thomas V. Mike Miller
Humor Political, Miller – Md. Sen. Pres. Mike Miller, Maryland General Assembly Opera, Art,
“MD Senate President Mike Miller, aka the “Silver Fox” can punch.
20060921 SDOSM Unhinged Maryland Democrats behaving badly
20060921 KDDC Unhinged
20060921 NBH Unhinged Maryland Democrats behaving badly
Former Pocomoke City mayor Curt Lippoldt, a member of the Mar-Va Theater Board and former Westminster mayor Kevin Dayhoff talk over the progress of renovations of the old theater in downtown Pocomoke City. © Caroline Babylon photo – October 15, 2008.
Former Pocomoke City mayor Curt Lippoldt, a member of the Mar-Va Theater Board and Caroline Babylon look over the old Pocomoke City Mar-Va Theater. © Kevin Dayhoff photo - October 15, 2005.
The Mar-Va Theater which opened in 1927, with 720 seats, for vaudeville and silent movies; is being renovated. Once it re-opens it is sure to be a cultural and entertainment showcase for the Delmarva Peninsula. For more details go to http://mar-vatheater.org/.
Caroline and I visited the Pocomoke City to review the renovation of the old theater on October 15, 2005, in order to prepare for making a presentation on the economic benefits of art and culture venues and programming, February 25, 2006 at the annual famous chicken and dumplings membership dinner, at the Pocomoke Fire Hall.
Everyone has a role to play in “Setting Delmarva's Stage for a Brighter Tomorrow.” Bringing to life the 1927 art-deco Mar-Va movie theater as an arts and cultural center in Pocomoke City can play a key and critical role in economic development, revitalization, and attracting community employment and tax base to the lower shore.
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net October 15, 2005