Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-19
NAMES BIG PLURALITY.
OPINIONS Of PINE TREE STATE
EDITORS As TO THE SWEEP.
Many Fortuitous CircumstRnces-sec-
Ing Their state Neglected by New
Tarin Provisions, the Democrats
Were Sore.

From the New York Herald.
Prominent editors OF Maine have ia
vored the Herald with their views as
TO the political significance OF the pres
ent great Republican plurality in that
state 1t Is variousiy attributed to
Democratic listlessness and TO alleged
Democratic Encouragement of nation
al Airs.
The expressions Of opinions are print
ed herewith:
To the Editor OF the Herald;
Lewiston, Me, sept. II. 1s9l.-The re-
suit Of the election in this state has no
permanent political significance. the
Republicans have made no material
increase In the vote Of their party, and
the largely increased Republican plu-
rality is entirely due to the large stay
at-home Democratic vote. In 1892
Cleaves. Democratic candidate for gov
ernor. had $500 votes, and Johnson,
Democrat, the same year had 55.397. In
1880 Durlelgh, Republican candidate
for governor, had 64,259; Thompson,
Democrat, had 1880. This year re-
turns from 800 towns give Cleaves, Re-
publican, 1894; Johnson. Democrat,
25,lOi. These same 800 towns in 1892
gave Cleaves, Republican, 54.s53; John
son, Democrat, 40, 1853. II Will then be
seen that the Republican Increase is
but comparatively slight, while the
Democratic decrease Is marked, show
Ing clearly the stay-at-home Democrat
&c vote. The Democrats have not chang
ed their vote, but simply remained
away from the polls in large numbers.
The causes for lhis stay-at-home
vote are potent. In the first place there
was encouragement and disgust on the
part of the voters with the delay Of
the senate In passing the tariff bill
At the time the state convention was
held the bill had not beer passed, and
did not receive its final passage until
nearly at the close of the campaign.
1t was this delay, as well as the biok-
ering and grumbllng of few senators
with the president, which caused the
disgust and the don't care feeling on
the part OF the rank and file Of the
Democracy. Again the false reports
and the calamity howl OF the Republic
can press and speakers had its effect.
The Democratic administration was
held responsible for all the depression
In business for the shutting down of
mills and cut down In wages. In some
parts OF the state owners OF lumber
mills agreed to shut down business un-
IN after election. The utmost possible
was made Of the fact that lumber had
been put on the free list, and the false
report was sent out that wages Of mill
men and woodmen would be cut down
below what they now are. Then the re-
port was sent among the farmers that
putting wool on the free list would
strike another blow at an important in
dustry.
In the cities the entire liquor interest
was under the control of the Republi-
cans. A simple illustration was In this
city. The city Is under Republican rule,
and all summer no attempt has been
made to enforce the prohibiting law,
and In the home of Senator Frye and
Congressman Dingley liquor and beer
has been sold as freely and openly as
1t Is in New York city. ON election
day. by order Of the Republican OH
GERS, the front doors were closed, the
curtains drawn. and the rumsellers
voted and worked for the Republicans
while liuuor was distributed from the
back doors OF their shops, Congress-
man Reed Is a candidate for nomina7
tlon for the presidency, and the ut
most possible was made Of this TO en-
thuse and encourage the Republican
workers
The organization Of the Republicans
In Maine was under the direction OF
Chairman Manley. of the Republican
national committee, and II was superb,
reaching to every nook and corner OF
tho state. A small army Of speakers
flooded the state and money was used
without stint on the other hand, the
Democrats practically had no organi-
cation.
There was no canvass, no systematic
work to get out voters, and the speak
ers few in number and mostly Of
local fame. There Is no doubt that
the distribution OF the patronage In
many parts of the state had caused
much dissatisfaction. and In many in
stances the feeling was such that men
who had been active party workers
would neither encourage others to la
Dor for the party nor do anything
themselves.
From the beginning TO the end of the
campaign there Maa-nnI- aIill S--ite-ctrrUt=
-ll---wUTT done, but IT can almost be
said with truth that there was no
work done by the party leaders, and
the election literally went by default.
The slight Increase In the Republican
total vote was in the cities. And this
was due TO the active work of the
liquor interest.
The Democratic defeat In Maine was
caused by the indifference OF thous-
ands Of the party, who would not 10
to the polls. The Democracy OF Maine,
In body, stands most enthusiastically
by the lower house OF congress and
President Cleveland on the Just posi-
ton Of tariff reform. To say that the
passage Of the tariff bill had aught
TO do with the Democratic defeat in
Maine would be MS absurd as to at
tribute the splendor Of the Northern
lights to the reflection of the fame
from the torch OF the Bartholdi statue
of Liberty. HENRY A. WING.
Editor Of the sun.