The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-03-04
The Municipal Election.


mas been exceedingly brief and much less
animated than bias sometimes happened.
mis- perhaps, has been largely due to the
geuerai feeling that the opposition to the
Republicans was in badly demoralized
state and would make very little resistance
70 the election of the Republican candidate,
IL was felt by Republicans that the election
OF Major Melcher was assured the momant
ne was nominated, and that therefore there
was no need of active effort. 1t is in this
feeling that lies today the only danger Of
rsn defeat If the Republican vote
Repubn.- Nelcher will be elected by
comes cut Maio. rbo noar ;s that
handsome majority. .. N" "a Nam
many Republicans assuming thas 4 ,he
ocrats will make no fght will hot take
trouble to go to the polls. We want 70 warn /,
Republicans that it is not safe TO rely
upon this assumption. There are certain
indications that lead to the belief that the |
Democrats do not now intend to let the |
intentions may have been week ago.
There are certain reasons which lead |
us to believe that the Democrats will be out
today in much greater force than was be-
lieved possible week ago. Indeed we are
inclined to think that Democrats are going |
to make a vigorous attempt to pull their |
candidate through, and that they are rely
Ing on Republican over-confdence 10 render
their attempt successful All that is
needed to defeat them is the full
Republican vote. but unless that
is thrown it is possible that the next Mayor
of Portland will hA a n4-..aArat- -
me Republican candidate is gentleman
in every way suitable to be at the head of
the municipal affairs of Portland. He Is
honest, he is able, he has had much ex-
perience in city affairs, he is identified with
the interests of Portland. A gallant soldier
during the war, when peace returned he
settled down to the conduct of mercantile
business in Portland and has carried it on
successfully ever since. We have no criti-
cism to make of the personal character or
the capacity of the other candidates
Messrs. Wilson and Burrowes. They are
both honorable and able gentlemen. But the
party which is behind the first is the Demo-
cratic party and if elected Mayor he must
necessarily to large extent be guided and
controlled by that party. The limited ex-
perience that we have had in this state with
acknowledgements has not been such
as to make Eany citizen. who has the in
terest Of the commonwealth at heart, eager
for any more of it. Biddeford has had Dem
ocrat government for six years, and the
result is the doubling OF its debt and an in
crease in its expenses of over 80 per cent
with very little to show for it, Democratic
rule in Waterville for year has been quite
enough for the tax payers of that city. That
there are many good men in the Democratic
party we readily concede, but as party 1t is
far inferior:in intelligence, in ability and in
honesty to the Republican and the effect of
puteihb ~ Al pOWck al ILLS Stdtc has dlmObt
invariably been disastrous to the public
interest, and If Portland tries
the experiment she will undoubtedly only
add another demonstration Of the incapacity
of the Democratic party. at considerable ex
pense to himself. As for the Prohibition
candidateit only need be said that there is
not the slightest prospect Of his election,
and the only possible effect of voting for him
will be to throw the management of munich
pal affairs into the hands of the Democratic
party.
The election Of Major Melcher insures
careful, prudent, upright and intelligent adj
ministration Of municipal affairs for the
coming year. He himself has the requisite
qualifications for such administration, and
the party which he representsis committed to
that kind of government. Mr.. Wilson on
the other hand. whatever his personal ca
pacity and disposition. will inevitably be In
the hands Of a party whose administrative
record, whether national. state or municipal.
has been almost invariably bad.