New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-09-11

MAJORITY.
,,soM . STAFF coRRttroSpENr OF THE TRrBUSEj
PORTLAND Me-, Sept. 9.-The Republican ma
,or;tv in this state, next Monday, will not be as
.rcat as il was in 1872. The total vote poled will
30 a large one, probably between $4,000 and
10000. if the day should be pleasant, and Gov.
Common will certainly he reelected: but 1t VIII be
,de for the Republicans in other paris OF the coun-
49, toexnect Maine to roll up one of its old-tme
,osiorhes for that will be impossible. The voters
ave- not here If the majority is great as it was
last veor-and have doubt that it will be twice
oslarge-the Republicans of tins State ought to be
.,,r,tulated for thcir success and to receive full
lit for the earnest faithful work they have per-
tod II wouG have been easy for them TO have
loci this state this y.r and this should be remem-
herod when the returns. next Monday evening show
loss favorable result for the Republican party than
,bcv have been accustomed to show in Presidential
gears.
Rnt tbe APPARENT gains which the Democrats may
make VIII no; indicate any actual change III the
ooltical views Of the people. Name voters are not
"open 70 conviction" and political conversion is
rare event. A hot, sharp campaign changes very
few votes il simply arouses men from their apathy,
md brings them on. to the polls. The change In the
relative strength of parties in this State which has
bee APPARENT in The election returns of the past few
wears. aid which Will probably be the distinctive
feature of those of nsNt Monday is therefore per-
manegt one caused by a change III the character OF
tLe population aud in the ordinary course Of events,
is likely in few years to make the strength OF the
two parties so nearly equal that Maine Will he
doubtful state like New-HampShire and Connecti-
eut: then the prlze of political campaign here Will
NOT be large majority, bat majority Of any kind.
The POPULATION IF this State is not increasing. |
l,..ra 10 root ngH
WIS fourycars ago. Thousands of young men born
and reared in Maine, aud who by education and
association are Republicans leave the State, on be-
coming Of age TO seek their fortunes in the large
cities or the great West Their places III the popu-
l,,ion are partially filed by persons of foreign
birth by whom every year a larger and larger per-
ccntice Of tic Unsklled labor IN New-England Is
REFORMED: bnt from this latter class the Republic
can party gets very few recruits. For these reasons
said that the voters who formerly made it an easy
thing for Maine to give the Republican candidates
from 10 600 to 10000 majority il Presidential
wear are no longer here. Every year the number Of
Old men among he Republican voters is proper
tionatelv greater This fact has leen noticed by the
campaign orators who have addressed large meet
n this Fail, and so marked have these changes
been IN the last eight years that (" secure majority
u 10000 mex, Monday has required as much effort
tie part OF INC hcpubutdl4o 'to w VAS'C WV
Chamberlain in 1868 by nearly 10000.
The campaign tbs year has been conducted with
charitable vigor and skill by both parties. On the
o,rface il has been short. The FIRST Republican
mass meeting was held less than four weeks ago.
md the actual work of aronsng the people by
reecbes and demonstrations has all been done IN
enut three weeks. Ii has been thoroughly DONE
too on the Republican side, for every section OF the
State has been and amOstevery voter has had
a. opuortunity to hear the questions at issue publicly
discussed the Democrats lid not begin to hold
public meetings until after the Republicans had oc-
cuped the whole field, and even then they sent out
oulv tyo or three orators and assigned them to but
o few prominent points, i believe that the state
Committee did not originally intend TO hold any
meetings, except such might be provided for by
local committees at hag-i1'sngs and the Ike, but
was found necessary to rally their forces at
few points in order TO keep mp the morale Of Their
rank and file.
The attendance at tie meetings held by both par
ties and the behavior Of the people who have com
posed the audience have given evidence OF an
unusual popular interest in the political questions 81
the day. There are fewer people IN New England
than in other sectous of the country who are III the
habit of giving thciI time and attention to the pur-
suit of politics. 1ld one misses here thar demorstra
tive spirit when IN The South, and to a less extent
i'm the West causes the discussion OF political ques-
tons TO absorb all other topics OF conversation III
the hotels or railroad trains and at AL public places
in town or country. But the crowds that have
focked to the meetings this Fall have been unprccc
dented for Maine. ! don't think the Republicans
have held an outdoor mass meeting AT which the
audience has not been az large az ore mans voice
could conveniently reach, and those who have
epok,n in halls and churches say that in very few
instances have rooms been found large enough to
hold the people who desired 10 hear. The DemO-
cratic meetings have been equally successful 1t Is
the testimony of Observing Republicans in the citvs
have visited that their opponents never got TO-
rcther q crowd to hear speeches as easily as they
have done this year.
Bat aside fron arousag the interest of the people
in the campaign. and presenting 20 them the ques
tons which are at issue, the most effective work,
and that which viii show the largest results at the
polls has been done quietly through careful organi-
zation in all bac towns, and by personal effort with
doubtful or hestatiug voters IL is impossible to say
By which party this work has been most thoroughly
done. The Republicans prohting by the lesson the
Democrats gave them last year, began their WORK
carly last Winter The FIRST thing done was, by cor
dependence with all the town committees, TO make
as perfect list "a, possible OF all The doubtful voters
III tue State To these men carefully selected docu-
ments were mailed from Washington during The ses-
son Of Congress- the object being TO sow the Repub-
hcan seed in advance. This, to say the least, was
shrewder than the distribution in Vermont during
the brief campaign there, of 10000 or 10000 cam
pagn documents, sent chiefly TO Republicans, who
were sure 10 vote the Republican ticket without any
per'uading. The actual organization of the Repub-
lean voters IN the State began some weeks before the
public demonstrations, aud has been very thorough
ia .l..Nl. nggg
Sons. Provision has been made for getting home
absent voters and for carving 10 the pOll, early in