The Portland daily press., 1878-09-12
The Situation.

We can now tell pretty accurately what we
have gained and what lost in the election of
Monday and what are the prospects of the
immediate future in our own State. Reed,
Frye and Lindsey are handsomely elected,
Reed having a plurality of about 1900 and the
others about 5000 each. Anderson, the
Democratic candidate in this District, is
buried so deep as to be quite beyond the hope
of political resurrection. He played fast and
loose with great public questions, tried to be
all things to all men, and has his reward.
In the Second District Major S. G. Belcher.
the Democratic candidate, made an honor
able fight in straightforward and manly
fashion on the basis of honest money and,
though defeated, he is not dishonored and has
the respect and confidence of all good men.
In the Fourth and Fifth Districts gallant
fight was made for honest money, but the i'm
mense stampede into the Greenback camp
was too much for them, and the State Of
Maine must have the disgrace of seeing George
W. Ladd and Thompson FL. Murch misrepre-
sent her at Washington for two years. The
defeat of Eugene Hale is a national calamity,
and the echoes from all parts of the country
bring tidings OF regret and disappointment.
That such man as he should be supplanted
by such man as March is peculiarly griev-
Gus, and the men of Waldo, with honest
hearts but bewildered heads, who have
effected it, must suffer bitter chagrin and
modification when they come to calmly
reflect on what they have done. The delega-
tion from Maine consists of three honest
money men, one soft money demagogue, and
one wild.eyed communist. Shame, indeed,
that so it must bel
In respect of our State ticket the situation
is bad enough, yet not without consultations.
The great vote for Connor shows the unity
and strength of the Republican party. The
Senate is strongly Republican, and we shall
probably have a clear majority on joint ballot
of the Legislature which ensures the election
of Republicans to all the state offices and the
Governors Council. As to the choice for
Governor the House of Representatives must
send two names, selected from the four per-
sons receiving the highest number OF votes,
to the Senate, which body then chooses one
of the two as Governor. The Republicans
will have nearly one halt the House, especi-
ally if the seats are given to the Republicans
from Portland, as is quite likely on account of
the frauds in the Democratic ward 4. Some
OF the hard money Democratic members will
certainly act with the Republicans and most
of them probably will, so that it is nearly cer-
tain that the two names sent to the Senate
will be Connor and Garcelon. Thus the
Greenbackers will find their "victory'', as
they C Ill it, very barren of results so far as
the State government is concerned.
The general outcome of all this is interest
ing to contemplate. The financial question
must obviously be the leading subject Of
political discussion for many years. The large
vote thrown by the Greenbackers will
strengthen and encourage them and will
attract to their standard adventurers from
both parties. The Democratic party east of
the Kennebec River has ceased to exist. The
Greenback anaconda has swallowed it bodily.
West of the Kennebec it is broken, disorgan-
lied and disintegrated. The Greenbackers are
the second party in the State in point of num-
bers and will be so for many years. There
will be hard money party and soft money
party. There is no room for a third party
nor would self-respecting men care to belong
to little organization vibrating between the
two great ones. Intelligent Democrats may
as well look the matter squarely in the face.
They must come with us or go with the
Greenbackers. To honest money Democrats
we hold out our hands. They belong with us
and we will welcome them. Let those who
think alike act together.