, 1875-09-16

| 41erc A6s peeh k0ou denl OF AgtoniH4-
ment TINT the Republicans have carried Maine
by less than 5000 majority. Tho fact that
Maine has for twenty-one years taught tho
country to expect repetition OF tho Repub-
lican majority Of 10000 to 1900 accounts
for tho surprise. There ore, however, several
rcasonB why the decrense is entirely NATURAL,
/ and not to bo accepted rs gauge of any
change in the political sentiment throughout
tho country. 10 begin with, there was no
material difference between the two parties
an national issues. Both parties wore SUBJ
stansfally agreed on the tariff and currency
questions. Tho platforms were both uncom-
promiBingly in favor Of hard money. Motto
the similarity on the currency question:
-, .ss:'a asSsa1s4s sa;tsas, coin
IL coin, ia essential to teso stability IN business,
IroaEctisy of tae peorie;sna restoration Of pros
aaeuas oos toward
tng to that sud. tstopa backward.
The stsmpera on both sides Advocated
specie resumption with equal power, hence
the Republican candidates could obtain no
advantage over their opponents On that great
iasue. To carry out the similarity both can-
NA>""&%o ASA NcfEAAANA hc4H N3uEEGlH OI tho
War, comparatively young men, Of excellent
position md reputation. Tho identity Of DO
sltlon OF tie two parties on national issuca
left tho votera free to yield to my local or
personal influences that might be exerted on
one side or the other. It is natural that the
bulk OF these local influences should bo ad
verse to the Republicans. 4 very slight
thing induces mon to sock change. In
Alnino, tho Republican party has become m
old story. It has held uninterrupted control
OF the State since 1854. Men voted ut this
last election who wcro unborn at tho tino tho
Republican party first succeeded to power in
A1aino. For twenty yearH previously, with
tho exception Of single year, 1910, tho
Democrats had been In the majority:
but mover aince the Republicans wrested
tho stato from them, in 1854, have they
been ablo to recover it. Tho consequence OF
this unparalleled stretch Of power is, that
the Republican party in Maine is held respon.
sble for oil tho political, Local, and personal
grievances which anybody has in tho State.
ANY difference or luarrels on village topics
aro necessarily against tho party in power;
lill dissatisfaction with local administration
falls upon that party. Any variation from
the usual Republican majority in Araiue is
not therefore, a subject for surprise. Tho
only genuine wonder is that such variation
has not occurred nore frequently. There is
no other example Of my party anywhere
holding its majority with SO much uniformity
such length of time.
This would be sufficient, VIC think, to ac-
count for any sudden change in the usual
Republican majority Of Matno. But there
have been other Influences at work. The
tidal wave" Of Inst year did not
reach Maine till This year. The TO-
auet'on OF the Republican majority
.'''s year is simply tho wake OF
last years. wave. Its work haa been assisted |
20 some extent by the increase OF tho foreign |
lflsh vote. In Alaine, rs in all the New En-. |
glana States, there Is large annual emiera-
''on o. tAe native young men to tho West, |
aaa 'ae vacancies they leave aro filed by |
oathol'o Irish, who have been pouring into
ne" England in strong, atealy stream for a
number Of years, and who in Mano, as every
where else, have always been, with o.eon.
tlons, bitterly antagonistio 10 the Renuh,icon
party, aud stealfast supporters OF the Demo.
cratic organization. Tho Republicans a,
hfainc will have to work harder hereafter or
they will find their control Of the Sta,a din.
ping out Of their fingers and passing into N.
hands Of the Demooratic-C Celtic alliuuce.
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