Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-15
Everybody at Republican Headquar-
ters Pleased.
WHAT CHAIRMAN BABCOCK SAYS
The Result Shows Which Way
the Tide is Setting.
VIEWS OF SILVER MEN

If something of congressional dignity did
not hover around republican headquarters,
there would be old-fashioned camp
meeting, with the exception that political
fervor would take the place of religious,
for the occasion. And it would all come
about over the Maine election. Everybody,
from the office boys to Chairman Babcock,
is in a state of deep delight, and this feel
ing is not likely to be replaced by any 9TH
er for some time to come
How about Maine?" is as familiar on all
sides around headquarters as the barome-
ter which hangs in a conspicuous place. 1t
is charged that the question Is not confined
to republicans. 1t is whipsered that around
democratic headquarters some of the man
ayers get behind the doors and ask this
question of passers-by. just to see how
they will answer 1t. That, however, may
be a slander the democrats, as. to hear
them talk, Maine went like they all ex-
pected- For instance, Chairman Faulkner
declared that ne had predicted the result
week ago In The Star, and he did not see
anything to alarm him now. "Then," he
said, why all this talk about Vermont and
Maine? Nothing was said about Alabama
when she voted and rolled up big majori-
ty. Little was said about Arkansas. 1t
looks to me like stand-off now. The dem
ocratic gain of 1000 votes in Maine is
really encouraging.
''The Key to the Situation"
''The result of the election in Maine will
be of very great value to all business and
financial interests at this time,'' said Chair
man Babcock. 1T will restore confidence
in financial circles, not only in this country
but throughout the world. We looked for
a large majority in Maine, but hardly ex-
pected 1t to equal the plurality given in
1894, when so many democrats refused to
vote; but 1t has exceeded that plurality by
about 30 per cent. and no one can fer
moment doubt that this vote in Maine indi-
Gates the sentiment of the great north
eastern states. The states where there are
large manufacturing and agricultural in
tereSts. the states whose people read and
have an intelligent voting population, will
in my opinion, join the procession and fol-
low the lead set by Vermont and Maine.
THE key of the situation in campaign
is to determine which way the tide Is set
ting. This II Is often extremely difficult to
do. Two years ago, at this time, after the
Oregon. Vermont and Maine elections,
recognized and claimed that they were in
dicative of the sentiment of the whole
country. and stated that 1 believed that
that practically settled the contest; and
my opinion and predictions were fully
borne out by the result in November. This
year the majoritieS in Vermont and Maine
are much more pronounced and larger than
they were two years ago, and from this 1
can draw only one conclusion, as / have
said before, and that is that the great
follow the example set by Vermont and
Maine, and give such a pronounced ma
jority against free silver and reputation
that it will settle the question for all time
to come
The Silver View.
The following are Senator Buffers views
of the Maine election: 1T is surprising
that the republican majority was not
Larger in view of the complications whic h
existed among the democrats, arising out
of two state conventions and two nomina-
tions for governor. This naturally pro-
duced friction"
Secretary Edgerton said he did not re-
gard the election as at all significant, and
Its results had been predicted by all silver
leaders.
Senator Teller, who Is in the city, said to
Star reporter, who asked him for his
opinion: Il am not at all surprised. The
result Is what all of US have expected, and
1t has nothing to do with the prospects of
silver"