The Portland daily press., 1880-08-28
Boston Advertiser.1
The Maine Canvass.
Withdrawal of Mr.. Osgood.

The withdrawal of Mr.. Osgood from the can
didacy for Governor of Maine will have quite
as much effect in the right direction as his
continuing to be a candidate would have had
on the wrong side. More, perhaps. Mr.. Os-
good is known as very sincere and earnest
worker in the cause of temperance. When he
became a candidate not sighting or depre-
ciating word was uttered against him by Re-
publicans He was evidently persuaded that
the cause he had much at heart was in danger,
and men who had their own purposes to serve
forced him to believe that it was his duty to
represent those who were determined that the
prohibitory law should be enforced. Being
sincere man, and desiring to do right, he has
reconsidered his ground. He finds that the
situation was misrepresented to him, and he
sees, what all men of observation know, that
the only effect of his continuing to be candi-
date would be to help the enemy. Candor
compels him to say this. We do not think,
and we said so at the time, that the temper
ance side-show would have drawn many hum
dred spectators. Mr.. Osgood's withdrawal
will convince most of these who were tempted
that they were contemplating step in the
"AoAS oAOSeAOi, oAo lO 1iuSi AdolNO
chosen to represent Mr.. Nye's personal griev-
ances can rescue the movement from con-
tempt.
The Maine canvass is looking well. The
Fusionists keep up their old game of brag, but
there is nothing behind it. Of course they
are able to organize meetings of respectable
size, and to make show of enthusiasm. That
is always possible. Yet they are by no means
holding their forces together. The Republi.
cans have information of scores and hundreds
of men who voted the Fusion ticket last year
who will not do so next month. Within the
Fusion ranks there is mutual suspicion The
Democrats never intended to vote for Fogg in
the second district, nor will the Greenbackers
vote for Anderson in the first. The union is
preposterous sham, and the election will show
it to be so.
We have been greatly surprised that tie Re-
publicans have not called attention more gen.
orally than they have done to the amendment
to the Constitution which is to be voted on at
adopted, not merely for the future but for this
occasion change the majority to the plurality
rule for the election of governor. That is to say
Governor Davis will this year be reelected for
term of two years if he heads the poll, even
though hundred Or two votes for a prohibi-
tory Candidate should prevent his having an
absolute majority. We need not say that we
do not apprehend such close vote. We ex-
pect to see majority of round thousands for
the Republican ticket But the anne ndment
should be adopted, and Republicans should
canvass actively to avoid a surprise. The ma
lority rule gives opportunity to factions, and it
has worked badly. In 1879 the lowest candi-
date on the list became the Governor and this
year the requirement of "a majority was the
occasion of all the troubles If the election
had been by plurality there would have been
neither inducement nor opportunity to carry
the count-out as far as it was carried. We
trust this important amendment will not be
forgotten by Republicans, and that they will
not suffer themselves to be surprised into
defeat upon it.