New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-14

Maine has given the smallest vote in any
Presidential year since 1872, or in twenty years
| If Chairman Maney i right in tclegraphng that
the aggregate vote is ! > 900 less than in 1883.
| For this there are obvious reasons the Aus
tralian mode Of voting and the absence Of Mr..
| Blaine's inspiring leadership and eloquent voice
and others Of local nature. With light
4 vote the majority is usually reduced, and Mr..
Manley estimates that the Republicans elect
| their Governor by over 10000. with all the
| congressman four hfths Of the Legislature, and
! local officers In every one OF the sixteen coun-
ties. The plurality on Congressman is $4,000.
| This victory seems to be large enough for all
practical purposes but, as usual. the Democrats
| interpret it as Republican defeat
| On one preteXt or another they have been
claiming great gains in Maine for twenty years.
| In every Presidential year they have seen proof
that Maine was sliding away from the Re
publican column, and ii must have been Dis
appointment 70 them that the pcrpetualy Sid
ing State never slides so far that its electoral
| votes for a Republican President are in any
| doubt Twelve years ago, after Democratic
and Greenback Governor had been elected in
| Maine. the State and the Nation were for Car
| field. but still each Presidential year brings
some show of Democratic rejoicings over great
gains in Maine" The truth is that the State
is safely and surely Republican, and the fact
is perfectly well known to the Republican voters
and to State and National committees. When
a full vote is brought out the majority rises, and
shrinks when the vote is light.
This year many local circumstances have led
TO the belief that the vote would be llght-that
many Republicans, certain Of victory in any
case. would fail 10 swell the majority For the
first time the Australian law has been in fierce
throughout the State, reducing the vote, tF' it
| usually does. Some differences in the mode 81
enforcing the State Liquor law have affected
| the activity Of workers and voters. The with
drawal from public life Of Mr.. Blaine. whose
| great personal popularity counted in Maine for
| thousands Of votes when he was ~ actual or
prospective cand date for the highest Office in
| the land, has necessarily made some difference
for time in the individual interest and activity
| of MANY Such influences count where the re-
suit is certain, and the question is only one OF
maorities
1t is really fact Of most cheering import
that the Republican party of Maine in cir
cumstances such as have existed this year, has
|
aggregate vote would be light all parties ex-
pected. 1t was equally certain that, as usual
the greater number of Indifferent and stay at
home voters would be Republicans. so that the
official leaders of the party in Maine publicly
announced that they did not count upon moro
than about / ., 600 plurality. The result, when
| all the circumstances are considered is striking
proof of the abiding and powerful attachment
of the people to Republican principles, of theil
satisfaction with the results of the new tariff
and other legislation by the last Congress, and
| Of the thorough and hearty union Of the party
in the great struggle of this year. If Demo
| cratic stories had been true. discord and dis
satisfaction would have appeared among Re-
| publicans of Maine more than anywhere else
| II Democratic theories were not groundless, dis
pleasure with the new tariff would have been
| felt az much and manifested as clearly In Maine
az in any other State, owing to the nature OF
| its industries.
| 1t is not thing to regret that the majority
| in Maine was moderate 1t can by no means
| he interpreted as an assurance that the Repub.
lican party has its National victory already
won. But the result in Maine does give the
highest possible stimulus to effort during the
| few weeks that remain, for with such effort
| there is reason to expect splendid triumph
| IL should also be taken as a warning, in all
| States where Republican majorities are not sure
and large, that it is not safe to suffer the can.
vass to be dull or lacking in vigor. 1t is q