The Portland daily press., 1894-10-31
LEADS BY A LENGTH.
Frank the Fayorite in the Collector.
ship Race.
DEERING rs AGOOD SECOND AND
is COMING FAST.

Clifford and Anderson Are Perilously Near
| the Distance FIag-They Are in the
Eome Stretch Now. for the Appoint.
ment Will Probably Be Made This
Teek-Opinlon in Washington Awards
the Plum to Candidate Frank.
Especial to the PRESS.
Washington, &C., October 30-It is
| expected that the most important federal
office In the State of Maine, that of Col
lector of Customs, at the port of Port
land, will be filed by the appointment
OF Democrat within the next week.
The term of the present Republica col
lector expired early in the present
month, and the greatest of interest has
been manifested throughout the state
IN the settleineh5 of the question as to
which of the numerous candidates for
| this position would be the succeassful
one. The return of the President to
Washington has helped to make the
contest even more hot than it has hith-
erto been, and nearly all of the candi-
dates nave found it necessary to visit
relatives or friends in Washington dur
ing the past week. OF course it goes
without saying that while here they did
their best TO help along their real or fam
cied booms, and incidentally saw that
their individual wires to the White
House were in working order. If the
candidates did not come themselves.
they have had their representatives. on
the ground, and the effect of all the
persuasion which has been exerted has
been to ensure an early disposition of
the case.
GENERAL ANDERSON'S CHANCE.
Mr.. L.D.M. Sweat was in this city
last week in the interest of General An
derson, who was the Collector under
Mr.. Cleveland's first administration, and
who is again candidate for the place.
General Anderson has large support,
hut it comes mostly from among the
Reepu blicans of Portland, with whom
be is quite popular. In addition to this
he is now over 70 years of age, and he
also comes under the rule of the admin
istration announced in the beginning of
Mr.. Cleveland's present term against the
re-appointment of ex-office holders. With
these disadvantages against him it is
considered here that General Anderson
has very small show for the appoint
ment
EX-MAYOR DEERING STRAINING
EVERY NERVE.
Ex-MaFor Deering has also been here
in his own interests He wants the
position, and he is going to strain very
nerve end pull every wire to get it.
While here he had an interview with
Secretary Carlisle, in which he asked
for the appointment. He based his ap-
plication largely on the ground of his
assertion that his selection would be
the most popular of any that could be
made. and he urged that the Demo-
Gratis of Maine generally, as we'll as
those in Portland, in particu lar, would
prefer him to get the place rather than
any other who might be chosen. Mr..
Deering has no endorsement on file at
the Treasury Department, but it is un-
derstood that he hopes to obtain the
place by reason of the contest between
dropped during the melee, Mr.. Deering
stands ready to jump in and seize it for
himself.
CANDIDATE CLIFFORD is LOSING.
Mr.. William H. Clifford, the SON of ex-
Judge eli ford, of the United States SUI
preme Court, is at present in the city,
and is the only one of the candidates now
here. He is working his canvass for all
it is worth. He had at one time. deyel-
oped considerable strength, although his
hackers were principally among the
Republican business men of Portland.
but siuce the announcement of the can
didacy of General Anderson, which il
of recent origin, large percentage of
Mr.. Clifford's Repu blican strength has
been withdrawn and given to General
Anderson.
FRANK IS IN THE LEAD.
Almost the only one OF the candidates
who stands alone upon the endorsements
of the Dem ocrats is MIR. N. P. Frank, and
in this respect he is in much better po-
sition than any of his competitors. He
is the almost unanimous choice for this
position OF the Demoratic organization
of Maine. He has the support of a
number of the members of the Democrat
ic national committee. of the congress
slonal campaign committee of 1892, and
nearly the entire organization of York
and Cum berland counties. which COM
prise the election district, is at his back.
1t will thus be seen that from a Demo-
cratic punt of view, Mr.. Frank is by all
odds far Il the lead in the race and it
would surprise no one Lere familiar
with Maine affairs if the rich plum of
the Portland collectorship should fall
into his lap.