Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-10
FIELD OF POLITICS. :
THE ELECTION IN MAINE.
n Republicans Carr the state by a Plurality
Of i3.ooc-The Prohibition Amendment
Carried by Bis Majority a. ,h. R,.uI, or
an. Se nj Dow mud Riainn Alliance

Republicans Carry the state by a Plurality
Of $500 -Ths Prohibition Amendment,
Carried by n Big Majority n. the R,.ur, or
tte seal Dow and Bininc Alliance.
TIE Worlds Augusta special SAYS: Sci.
dom n ever In fhe history of American
poli,ics have such disgraceiul aud bumili.
stjps scenes been Witnessed as those at the
polls in this city 10 day. Your CORE
snoudent stood at the pollInu.bnx OF the
First Ward. which il the largest ward OF
the city, and the place in which Mr.. Bi.ine
lives ard votes. The voting commenced af
10 o'clock and closed at 4. just as the
polIs opened SIX ladies' entered the
baH bearing bouquets in their hands.
which they placed in the windows and
ON the tables, and then proceeded
10 take up position near the entrance
with affirmative ballots on the prohibitory
amendment in their hands. They were
elderly ladies, neatly dressed. and OF very
determined appearance. Ballots had been
printed for them, the "Yesv being in very
iorpe black letters tina. could be read across
the street. They offered ballot to every
man " no entered, and one OF them would
follow such voter to see whether he put
"No" or q Yes" in the box. II was the
first time women had ever appeared at the
polls In Augusta. II was, therefore,
novelty.
Some responses made to solicitations Of
the women were rude and insulting. One
man. who was quite drunk. swore that he
could never be ruled by lot OF pctticoats.
and then said he would be id II he
would ever take ballot from a woman.
The POOR women looked terribly dlSsatis-
fed. One OF them sat down, saying she
was discouraged.
Notwithstanding the existence OF a strict
prohibtory law IN this city beer and wins
kew were freely given at common hotel
near by. The Republican women worked
for prohibition at the polls. while the Re-
publican men made their dupes drunk be-
fore marching them in like cattle to east
free ballot. There was little concealm mt
about the purchase OF voters. The prices
paid or received were freely discussed.
Bottles OF wbiskey were carried IN coat
pockets and handed from one man TO an
other with many drunken grim and gfim-
ace.
There could he no more disgusting evil
dence Of the yenaity and hypocrisy that
have grown up in the politics OF this stite
under the leadership OF James q. Bl1lnc
and Neal Dow. Here was the spectacle OF
a party laboring to a9ort prohlbltory
emf ndment and using purchased ana
drunken voters in that endeavori thc
Door women whose cheeks turned crimson
more than once at speeches and eXhiOitions
Trey bad never before heard or seen, ana
for which they were evidently unprepired.
The whole days doings were degradation
OF manhood and womanhood.
Int n
wrelcbed spectacle and shudder at the
possibilities Of The future when such
iagrant outragcs go unrebuked by the law,
when a candidate for the highest office In
the nation lives within stones throw.
But Mr.. Blame himself would increase
the climax Of double dealing and hypocrisy.
For several days it has been known that he
WAS greatly ANNOYED over the urgent oiier
maze TO HIM from the West to oppose the
amendment because OF the iatil effect is
advocacy would have in that section. lie
was threatened on the other side by the
loss OF his own State IL he voted against It,.
II is believed be went away to Bar H1rbor
saturday night with the intention OF not
cling here to-day, and there escape, but
some pressure drove him back after having
been at Rar Harbor but few hours. AZ
the polls his own word was announced TINS
morning that he would come down to vote
about II O'Clock. and that he had promised
prominent Proiibitionist he would
vote for the amendment. One OF
The ladies was disposed to hand him a
dyes" ballot. She took her stlnd outside
the door and waited. The hour of II came,
but Mr.. Blaine DID net. II was then given
out that he would come at =. Again the
ladies were full OF lively expectancy. They
were prepared to send the good news to
several places in the United States as soon
rs Mr.. Blaine voted the yes" ticket.
Two O'Clock came, but Mr.. Blaine did not.
II began to he whispered about that per-
bars Mr.. Blaine was sick. Nobody said
anything about sunstroke, for it was