New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-10
THE PINE TREE STATE.



TErMENuOUs oNsSr LAs3 sEprrNBri-A RIG
ORD TO BE PROUD OF AND 4 BRIGHT FUTURE.
IFroN AZ occAsioxAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Portland Me- Nov. S.-Drrctly after the Sep
fen,ber election in Maine resulting Il did, IN
partial reverse to the Republicans, certain persons
rushed into print in papers outside the state with
Their censor,ous reasons Tor the mishap. They At
tempted with euvi1us criticism to locate and DIS
tribute the blame on somebody and INDUCED IN n
general iercmial over what they formed he
publican Encouragement. These criticisms were
invariably from persons who had el'he,
done nothing in the canvass presented
themselves a. hirdranccs or distinctions
Active mon in the party. intent only on redeening
the STATE were unwilling at the rime 10 mako any
reply and thus fY1.tcr away in needless coniro-
versv the energy that should be given to recovering
the state Now that tie campaign is well over, and
Maine is once more sounlly and strongly kepuDli-
can on the largest vote ever thrown by ner people,
tmav he meet and proper to say word about 'he
political history Of the State for these many years
past.
Maine became Republican State Ivy the great
triumph Of Hannibal Hamlm in the Guberna-
torial campaign # 1886 From that time to the
year 1878 - for twenty-five consecutive annual
elections for Governor and in six Presidential
comprehensive was un1inchiugly and invariably
u
term She sent during these TWENTY-FIVE years an
unbroken delegation of Republican Representa- YES
to Congress.
How many of the strong States that Joined in the
election of Garfield failed faltored at different
crises during thus unbrokcn Republican supremacy
in Maine! During that time New York has had
Sevpour Governor for one term, Hoffman for wo
terms Tilden for term aud Robinson for one
term, and even now has a Democrat In the
Senate of the United States. Pennsylvania
has twice been captured by the Democrats
III important State cleo ions, and has had two DEM
ocrats in tue United States Senate. Connecticut
has been almost half the time Democratic and only
In the last Congress had two Democratic Senator'S
and now has one. Massachusetts failed in 1874 and
elected a Regular Democrat Governor of the Com
monwealth. New Hampshire did the same. ONO
has had William Alien and Richard Bishop for Cow
ernors and at tins moment two Democratic Sena-
tors. Indiana has two Democratic Senators, and Tor
the past eight years has had Democratic Governors
Illinois has q Democratic Senator, and Wis
consin has had Democratic Governor
These are all stalwart Republican
States bat observe how serious have been their de-
Elections and alterations during the twenty-five
years that Maine stood as steadily Republican as
the needle points to The pole.
LII 1873 the Greenback craze ran over Maine. The
Maine later than other States-but then struck very
hard In 1874. when nearly all the Republican
States weakened under the financial pressure, ana
the Democrats carried tue National House Maine
stood frm as a rock and elected unbroken dele
CATION of Republicans In 1877, the campaign fol-
lowing MIR. Hayes's Inauguration was depressing
one to Maine Republicans. The party
could not be united in support of
the Presidents pohcy, and there was
general ndlspOsition TO create divisions by making
an open fight on the head OF the Administration.
Hence weakness, d,strust, irTesouion and d1sSltls
faction peryaded the Republican ranks liz the
State campaign of 1877 there not single
speech made Oh the Republican side The stalwarts
who Were seven ghts OF the party, did not wish
openly to assault the President and the few
who supported the policy could not have secured
respectable audience had they mani
Tested desire to take up the controversy. la the
State Convention the Hayes and ant-Hayes cle-
,nents nearly came to open rupture. winch fortu-
mattel, ayerted by the pacific policy OF Senator Blaine
At the critical mOmeut he poured oil on the troubled
waters and caused the Convention to avoid any
outbreak The result however, a listless,
point.es-, splrtless campaign i'll winch Republican
majority was pOled by the continuing momentum
that had come over from the preceding year, in
which, under Senator Baine's lead. such a splendid
campaign had been made for Hayes and Wheeler.
The year 1879 came upon Us then with the tight
ening pressure of continuing hard times. with the
loosencd aud oOsenng force OF party discipline. and
very naturally found a large fraction of the Re
public IN party ready to take up with the
pleasing and delusive fallacies Of the Greenback
party The election of that year resulted most dis
astrously, the fusion OF Democrats and Gpenback-
ers beating the Republicans BY more than thirteen
thousand on the popular vote In $40 the Republi-
cans made most vigOrou, campaign, regained the
Legislature i'll both branches and gave the candi-
date for Governor an immense plurality, but not an
absolute majority of the vote-the deficiency being
about one thousand The State stea that followed
and all ITS exciting incidents are fresh in the minds
Of the public.
Thus we reach the campaign Of 1880. Whether |
wisely or uuwiselv, wne her with good ground or /
with no Ground, the Republicans Of Maine desired ,
with great uuaumity the nomination of Senator |
Blaine for the Preidency. Not their votes and |
voices only. but their hearts wcr in il. Beside, am
able ald picked LIST Of delegates, two hundred men,
among the very best Of the Republican party Of !
Maine. wi,h Senator lIam'in at Their head, went 10
Chicago. The result woefor TIM very dsappoint-
ing To the party in Maine and du1ng that period
Hancock was nominated. and with the boom hat
followed the Democrats of Maine were in
Ineus.ly encouraged and firmly believed
they could carry the State. The Ma
tional Democratic Committee shared iu
the belief, and poured money into the State bt
countlc-s 'ousands. The fight came on carly. be-
fore the country was awakened TO tine great merit
and the strong popularity Of Garfield US a candidate
before the tarlH issue had reused the people. and
two months IN advance OF the general election
III. y pubicans OF Maine mot fully recovered
from their Disappointment were thus forced 10
fight the picket line, and 10 meet the Democratic
party at the hghes point Of its courage, in its fist
great onset, armed AID equipped WITH an enormous
paign fund. That the Republicans Of Name
came out as well as they d'd seems, a. look back
rather to be matter Of wonder. That against