The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-21
CSt. Louis Globe.l
The Fight in Maine,

The first really important engagement of the
present Presidential campaign will take place
in Maine on the second Monday in September
An election will be held in Arkansas week
before the Maine election, but nobody attaches
any Importance to its results, as it is generally
conceded that Arkansas, like Alabama, and
the rest of the Southern States, will be counted
for the Democratic ticket, no matter how the
vote stands. III Maine the case is very differ
ent, and the outcome of the struggle now 60
ing on in that State will have much weight in
deciding the results of the October elections in
Ohio and Indiana. If the Republicans win in
Maine they will be almost certain to carry In
diana, and will find no difficulty in folling up
majority of at least $4,000 in Ohio. If the
Fusionists carry the day in Maine, Indiana
will probably go Democratic in October, and
the Republican majority in Ohio will be seri-
ously diminished. f
The latest advices from the front indicate
that the prospects of Republican success are
excellent. A careful canvass of the situation
gives the Republicans a majority of 1900
They are making an aggressive campaign,
while the Fusionists seem to be acting on the
defensive in some sections, while in others
they rely on the still hunt tactics so success
fully employed by Mr.. Tilden in 1876. 1t is
difficult to say whether the fusion patched IN
by the leaders of the Democratic and Green
back parties will command the allegiance of all
who acted in opposition to the Republican
party in the last State election Many careful
observers are of opinion that large number of
the Republican Greenbackers will return to
n OF nff
made between their late leaders and the Demo-
cratic managers. Last year, when the Demo-
Gratis and Greenbackers ran separate State
tickets, and jointly supported members of the
Legislature, their aggregate vote for Governor
exceeded their legislative vote by nearly 6 600
Ii this may be taken as an evidence of the I'M
popularity of fusion year ago, the Republi-
cans ought to have no reason to fear defeat in
the present contest
Whatever missionary work is to be done this
year must be done among the men who took
part in the last election, for the canvass of the
State was SO thorough last year that it may be
doubted If one elector in thousand failed to
cast his ballot for one ticket or another. The
increase in the total vote of the State last Sep
TENDER, as compared with the total vote cast
for President in 1876 was 1924. or about
1000 more than the total increase of popula-
ton between 1870 and 1880, as shown by the
present census. In view of this fact it is
hardly probable that the crop of Lew voters
tnlS year Will De very great, and the Republic
cans must depend for success on their ability to
make converts among those whe opposed
them year ago. 1t will not take a great
many converts to give the Republicans a ma
iority, the combined vote of Garcelon, the
Democratic, and Smith, the Greeback, candi-
date, last year being only 1872 in excess of the
vote cast for Davis, the Republican candidate.
gain of 1000 votes will be sufficient to insure
a Republican victory. The present proba-
bility is that the Republicans will gain at
least 5000, while the Fusionists will lose about
as many. o.