New-York tribune., 1876-09-02
THE MAINE CANVASS.
yIGoR OF THE REPUBLICANS.

DIssENsIONs AND OTHER DRAWBACKS.
IPRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuSE.i
PORTLAND, Me-, Aug. 2s.-The prize which the
Republicans Of Maine are working for is $4,000 ma
jority in the State election, majority which they
have generally secured in Presidential years, and
which Mr. Blaine predicts in his campaign
speeches will be the reward of earnest and
faithful work this year. The political revolution IN
which almost the whole country was involved In
1874 affected the result of the election in THE State
that year, very little. Gov. Dingley's majority,
which had been 1883 in o total vote OF 779oO
in 1873, was only reduced in 1874 to II ,397 in
total vote of 94,S65. Both parties had increased
their votes over those cast in 1873, when popular
interest in political subjects was at ITS lowest ebb
and the gain of the Democrats lad been the greater;
but the change was not of such striking character
as to give any indication of what was to occur In
other States in the following October and Novem-
ber The Republicans elected the entire delegation
to Congress and lost but single county, that OF
Knox. -f l.- pr -h h''
In 1873 the tide In the affairs Of political parties
turned again in many parts Of the United states.
Massachusetts, elected Republican Governor by
more than 5000 majority, in the place OF CASTOR,
Democrat, whose majority the year before had been
almost 1000 greater. New Hampshire, Ohio and
Wisconsin followed her example, by transferring
their majorties; while the Democrats generally lost
in Democratic States like Connecticut and New
York, and the Republicans gained in the Republican
States of Pennsylvania, Iowa, &c. The only stfik-
inc eycent,on. N this ,le were found in Mississippi
and Maine. In the first Of these States
necn,,ar condition Of affairs existed, which
!, 10 unnecessary 10 discuss here. Coy.
Anoos,, r,oIadm;nin;stration had made the con-
t;nranca % the Re,uhlcan Marty in mower intoler-
a,le sve,, 20 ysneotahla Remblicans upess its con-
tro, was ,ranerred tonev hands and the result was
- 90 ,ho.o oo,,,.,a nol;,;eal revolutions which
a.. ,,ra,.ant Rnt the election IN
NJ. ~ ~, onv srcb b,notbes,s
r. r,Ia..,,, .a.,;.;....,;o, - s,ato atF.iro tr
~ 49,, ro,,arl,I5, hnno5 and economical
IT, oo,ats car snd no circpmstance in
thn ,acora 90 Tho enpblicans in the state on which
to haso comnaig, .arcument and Cen. Connor
,h.n =. n.y. ,ha cand;daie was not only above re
nroocb n.rsor,Iv hnt was ono Of the most nopnlar
- men IN ,he state A little dissatisfaction ex
!. q 60 To- y non,;no tons
S'ed ~ '"o vi '"i'e 49,.
D,.ce DH. .'A'' vas "'' s''"''s"' w -.
The total vote last year was l1o,2os, nearly
20 900 greater thar the vote cas-. for President in
1872. and more than $4,000 greater than that of
1874. and vet the Republican majority, which had
been 32335 for Grant in the former year, and
\ 397 for Dingley In the latter, was reduced in
1879 IN the alarrningly low figure of 3s72. The
Democrats also carried five counties out of the 10
l,s. year instead Of one in 1873 and 1874, The
lsson OF these 6gnres taken by themselves is full
Of meaning for the Republicans They show that,
As the interest of the people in their elections has
increased the Democrats have gained more raptaas
than the Republicans Indeed, the ratio by when
the majorities have been reduced Is greater than
thai by which the total vote has been increased,
and the smallest majority Of many years was OBJ
tained when the aggregate vote in the State was
about l50 600 greater than it had been in either OF
the three years Immediately preceding.
This year the Republicans are making a warmer
and more earnest contest than any since 1917 and
hope TO turn the tide In their favor that Is they
hope to bring out vote greater by several thou
sands than that OF last year. oven and TO have the
increase on the Republican side much greater than
that on the Democratic. The task Is by no means an
easy one. In the first place there are one OF TWO Sc
rious local divisions in the Republican party which
all the efforts Of the leaders have thus far failed TO
arrange or heal. One of these exists IN the Con-
gressiona District where the friends Of Mr.. Bureigh,
the present Representative are greatly dissatisfied,
and il s feared may do much mischief. Mr.. Bureigh
resides In the adjoining county of York, in which is
situated the Kittery Navy-Yard and is now serving
his second term in Congress. The political influence
Of the NavyYard has always been against him.
How this antagonism arose il is unnecessary now 10
inquire; the anti-Burleigh Republicans say IL was
caused by quarrel between the member OF Con.
gres and the Secretary of the Navy in regard to the
patronage. Whether this il true or not the active
e,rnrs of the Navy-Yard politicians to defeat Mr..
Rprlciob in 1874 were well known at the time, and,
think. have never since been denied. .a ....
But Mr. Burleigh has not in the meantime been
massive. He repeatedly denounced the management
of tbs Navy Department during his first term in
Congress and exposed the corrupt use of navy-yard
a,roraoe for noltical purposes. With record like