New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-19
NEHS IND OPINIONS.

The Associated Press, receiving and dis-
tributing returns of the Maine election on
Monday night from the New-England Associ-
alton. WAS at the pains of assuring US that
the majority of 1902 for Perham was y" an
increase of 5000 TO 1000 over the majority
of last year, and little more than double
" the average Republican majority at guberns-
torial elections of the last three years."
This superfiuoUs and impertinent comment
was only an illustration of the well-knOwn
fact that these agents have strong political
preferences, which they are not above airing,
in and out of place. At least one-half of the
supporters of the Association believe that COM
parsons made on the principle adopted in that
dispatch are grossly unfair and misleading.
They maintain that it is ridiculous to contrast
the heavy vote of Presidential year with the
light vote of an off-year, and if we want 10
know how much each party has gained or lost
we must go back to 1868, and not to 1870 OF
1871, when very small proportion OF the vote
WAS poled 1t is true that Perham's majority
in 1872 is between 5000 and 1000 more than
il was in 1871, but TO explain that difference
it ought to be added that the total vote III
1872 is 10000 greater than 1T was year ago.
The New-England agent did not choose TO
mention this important fact, which entirely
changes the complexion of the returns, be-
cause his political interests were the other
way. Hereafter we advise him TO mind his
own business, which is simply to send tbs
news, leaving editors to make their own COM
ments.
The truth about the Maine election Is sim
ply this: The vote this month was, in round
h.
years it was only from $4,000 to 100000. A
comparison with these dates would, therefore,
be of little value. But in 1868 it was even
higher than it is now, being $4,000 in Septem-
Der on the contest for Governor, and 112,S01
in November on the Presidential issue. Now,
compare September, 1868, with September, 1879:
n, 1.6Ss = Is ~, Los SS,
Opposition vote. 55,43l 54,742 $50
Or net Opposition gain of 1919, on total
vote about 5000 less than it was four years
ago. Or take the vote of November, 1858:
Opposition vote 1890 54,742 1882
Or net Opposition gain of nearly 1900.
And if you look merely at majorities it ap-
pears that while Grant had $4,000 majority in
1868, Perham in 1872 has only 1900 majority.
though the vote is much fuller now than it
was then.
Add one other point. In 1868 the support
ers of Grant were able to attain their great
majority in defiance of an Administration abb
solutely hostile, whose vast powers of patron
age and other interference, so far as they
were used at all, were used against them. In
1872, the supporters of Grant have the whole
power of the Administration used in their
favor, with an INSCRIPTIONS zeal never evinoed
before in the history of politics in this conn
try; and yet, with the Administrator support
now, they fall short of what they accomplished
in 1868, in spite of the Administrators hos
tility, by 1000 votes. If the Grant faction
find any particular comfort in contemplating
these figures, we shall take pleasure in print
ing them again.