New-York tribune., 1876-09-08
MAINE POLITICS.
THE EFFECT OF LOCAL DIVISIONS.


IFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.
BANGOR, Me-, Sept. 5.-The three-cornered contest
in this Congressional district warmer rs cleo
ton day approaches and the prospect of coInpro-
mise between the Powers and Oak factions OF the
Republican party disappears. The right to bolt q
bad nomination is one that should be held sacred by
every friend of genuine political REFORM and asserted
by honest voters on every proper occasion. by It's
exercise alone can the power of the machine poll
tcians be broken and party leaders be forced to put
forward none but good men for positions Of honor
OF responsibility. But there are times when party
dissensons are especially unfortunate, even when
there is good cause for them; there are occasions
when the defeat of party even II 1t deserves H.
may have an influence for evil greater even than its
success and it seems to that this is one of them
The eyes of the whole country are now turned upon
Maine and the people are looking to this strong
hold of Republicansm for a sign OF what may be
expected in the succeeding two months. The gen.
era result only will be apparent beyond the bounda-
ries of this State, and no explanation which the
Republicans can give will counteract tho effect of "a
reduced majority, or the loss of Member OF Con-
gress.
Now l do not mean to say that the Republicans OF
this district, by placing the name of ar. Lleweliyn
Powers Oh their ngressiona ticket have made bad
blty 10 w SOASSO ''e'AA
who they knew in advance some members of the
party respectable in character as well in numbers,
would not support with any zeal, even if they did
not bolt and the nomination of such q man at such
q time was blunder. Ii was a blunder not only
because it endangers the of the gessiona
ticket i'm this district, but because defeat would
give aud and comfort to Democrats in other States.
1t has been said that the Republican quarrel in
this district is of locality this believe to be ~
mistake. The County of AroOstOOk, the second In
population in the district, has not recently, ever
sent one of its sons to Congress. and the Repub-
licans there, very naturally came to the conclusion
that it ~ about time for them to have the choice
Of a representative. The justice of this claim was
admitted by the Republicans of this Wenobscot
county and when Mr.. Samuel f. Hersey was nomi-
mated the last time in 1874, it was with the express
understanding that this year the candidate should
be chosen from Aroost0ok. Mr.. Hersey died before
taking his seat in the present Congress, and when
his successor nominated the old question OF To-
cality was again raised. The, Republicans OF
Penobscot County held that, the present term of
Congress having been accorded to them the death
of Mr. Hersey ought not TO deprive them Of 1t but
the convention which nominated Mr. Plaisted passed
a resolution, believe, recognizing the claim of
Aroostook County in the selection of candidate
Aroostook County, so that there could be no cause
of complaint on the score of locality. Besides this,
the opposition 10 Mr.. Powers is not confined to one
county but il nearly as strong in that in which he
resides as il is here.
No one denies that Mr.. Powers was regularly nomi-
mated In the convention he received more than
80 votes, while his opponent had less than so The
opposition to him is mostly based on personal
grounds Mr.. Powers is said by his political oppo
neuts to be man of bad character and he certainly
has some elements Of unpopularity. The accusa-
tions affecting his personal character are not new;
several years ago, when he held United States
Office he was accused by a Republican newspaper of
his county of having been guilty Of adultery. He
at once began suit for libel against the editor of
the paper. and when it came to trial, obtained q
verdict IN his favor and an award of $1,000 dam
ages. The evidence which this verdict was based
Is said to have been absolutely conclusive. The case
was appealed and the judgment Of the court below
was affirmed. This, it would seem, ought to have
ended the case but public interest in it had been
very great, people had taken sides and mado up
their minds as to his guilt or innocence and neither
the verdicts of ures nor the decrees of courts could
convince them that they had judged Mr.. Powers
unjustly.
Mr. Oak the boiling Republican candidate, is a
resident of Garland in this county, and is an nm
compromising Republican. He was nominated in
mass convention called by those who dissatis-
fed with Mr.. Powers as o candidate and the men
who are supporting him do 50 with much zeal and
enthusiasm.
The total vote in this district two years ago was
! {, ,363 and Mr.. Herseys majority 1858 The total
vote will be increased this year, and the majority, If
the Republicans were united, would also probably be
greater. Mr.. Oaks friends assert that he will re-
ceiye 1000 Republican votes. while the managers Of
the regular Republican organization admit that he
will draw away at least 1000 from Mr. Powers.
NY Judgment is that the truth lies somewhere be-
tween the two and that if any is elected in the
Ivth District next Monday it will be Mr.. Powers by
a very small majority. Some of the shrewdest Re-
publicans in this city very confident of the sue
cess Of the regular ticket, and among them may be
named Senator Hamln, who thinks that the major
ity for Powers will not be very small one.
The effect of this division in the Republican ranks
upon the majority for the State ticket is question
of very great interest. The Republicans believe
that it will increase rather than diminish Gen. Con-
nor's vote in these counties. The boilers at their
mass convention passed a resolution approving the
State ticket, and pledgng to 1t their earnest sup
port and there is thus far no reason to believe that
in any trading with the Democrats that may take
place the Republican State ticket will be sacrificed
The effect of having two Republican candidates in
the field the party leaders say will be to bring out
the entire vote of the district while if Mr.. Oak or
some other bolter had not been nominated the dis
satisfied Republicans would have remained at home
and the result would have been reduction Of Gov
Connor's majority.