Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-09-16
Politics In Maine.

The people of Maine, at the late elec-
tion, adopted the constitutional amend
ments which will hereafter do away with
the state elections in September, post
po9ipg, them till N0lember, and which
further provide for the election of the
governor by a plurality vote Of the peo-
pie. At present it requires majority to
elect, failing in which the Legislature
chooses. There is a disposition on the
part of the Republicans to maintain that
the present election will not be controlled
by this new constitutional provision, al
though the law submitting it expressly
declared that it, should be in, force, if
9d4ptei, at this election. | Il Plaisted
should prove to have but plurality of
the vote there is little doubt thatan effort
will be made to elect Davis in the Legis-
lature, which is Republican probably in
both branches. The state will then have
two governors, as it had on the last at.
tempt of the people to elect, and the
courts will once more be called on to de-
clare who is entitled to the seat.
For state situated SO far to the north
Maine seems to he quite unduly troubled
with political excitement. Probably
there is French element in the pOpula-
tion from over the Canada border that
makes it SO lively. They have one Re-
publican editor, BOutelle by name, who
would bc considered i'm any other COM
munity as hardly removed from the de-
gree of lunatic. He seems to bc con-
sidered sound in Maine, however, rs he
is a leader and Il congressional candi-
date.
Maine, too, is the home of the Green
hacker, an animal that has pretty much
become an extinct species everywhere
else in the country, even in Ohio, the
land of his birth. Just what the faith
of this political nondescript now is prob
ably nobody can tell: since the day has
come when anybody can have greenbacks
for his gold or gold for his grcenbacks, if
he has any of the metal to make the
trade with, Every taste can be satisfied
in the currency line, and it is impossible
to see how there can be any currency
GROWERS left; but they exist up in Maine
and are lively.
They were lively enough for the DEM
ocrats there to form . coalition with.
1t was an innocent party to hitch in
with. They had no faith evidently that
could do any practical hurt and there
was no danger in smiling at their delu-
sion and taking their votes. Their votes
were valuable and their common hatred
of the Republican party made them a
very fit ally of the Democrats. Together
they have unhorsed the foe and the
probability is that the union will be car
ried into the presidential election, giving
Maine to Hancock by five or ten thOus.
and votes.
Whatever may be the result of the Re
publican attempt to count out or legis-
late out Plaisted, the moral effect of the
Maine election is with the Democrats.
1t is Of no consequence, outside of Maine,
who finally secures the gubernatorial
seat. The fact that the Republican
strength has fallen off in Maine is all
that was needed to show that the party
is weakening. 1t was held in stronger
control in Maine under the hand of Mr..
Blaine than is maintained over it any.
where else in the country; and if it
failed to be held up to the mark there it
cannot bc brought to the mark anywhere
else. That much is proven and that is
all that needed to be known to know the
result of the presidential election.