Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-19
D 0 w N IN M Al N e
The Democrats Reported as Disorganizsd and
Discouraged.
Senator Frye ON the Stump and the
State Well Supplied With Gold
Money Literature.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

LEWISTON, Maine, August II. 1896
The Maine state election will take place
Monday. September ii. There are four
tickets in the field-prohibition, populist, re-
publican and democratic. The sound money
democrats who boited the nomination of
NJ. z. Frank did not have sufficient time TO
get their nomination papers into ths office
of the secretary Of state but they will
vote with stickers for William Henry Cliff
ford of Portland, the son of Judge Nathan
Clifford. who was associate justice Of the
United States Supreme Court, and who
died in 1881.
The total vote of the state for governor
in the last election in 1884 was 1O1,T16
Henry b. Cleaves. republican,. having 69,:i222
Charles +. johnson, democrat, U,4oo; Ira
q. Jersey, prohiDition.st, ~: Luther G.
baternan, people party, 5,i.S. In 1897 the
total vote was 49,, 2,2; Henry Il. Cieav.s
republican, had 67,W0: Charles +. Johnson
democrat, 5j,SJ7, with vote FOR other can
d.dates OF about 1000. 1t Will be seen there
was a large falling off of the democratic
vote of 1874 compared with 1852. Th $
is accounted for by the general depression
IN business and the fact that the Maine
democrats were generally dissatisfied with
President Cleveland's administration. II
will be noticed that while the republican,
vote of 1894, as compared with 1Sj2 gained
only about 300, the democratic vote de.
creased about $500. thus showing tn 1t the
democrats registered their dsaEproyu OF
the condition Of things py staying at home
from the polls. Can this stay-at-home vote
be brought cut this year?
Alleged Silver Sentiment.
1t has been said that there is great deal
CT free silver sentiment in Maine, and that
this eXs Is in the country districts, among
the republicans as we'll as among the dem
ocrats. Many have predicted that the free
M
in Maine this year, similar to that brought
about by the greenback movement in 1SSJ
when Harris NJ. Plaisted the fusion candi-
date, was elected governor. 1t must be
said, however, that up to this time there
are no evidences that such viii BE the case.
Joseph IL. Maniey, VINO is a member Of the
national committee, and chairman OF the
republican state committee, has just com
pleted his first canvass Of the state, and his
figures, coaServatively considered, indicate
that the republicans will easily have from
1000 to 5000 plurality. OF course. at this
early date 1t is not safe to make prediC-
ITEMS. as the course OF events in the next
three or four weeks may bring about rad
ical changes.
On the one hand, the republicans in this
state have a splendid party organization
They have already sent tons of campaign
literature through the state. and will have
a small army of speakers, many of them
of national reputation. On the other hand
the democrats disorganiZed and dis
have done very little in the way of sending
out campaign documents and for speakers
will have to depend largely upon local tall
ent.
At Sewall's Home.
l was at Bath, the home of Arthur Sew
ALL the democratic candidate for Vice Pres
ident. last Monday, and even there there
is gloom over the party. 1t is said that
in Mr. Sewalls own city there are at least
100 or $50 sound money democrats who will
not vote for the state ticket or for Bryan
ard Sewal. This is denied by Mr.. Sewali' s
|. friends, but, however it may be- there is at
present a lack of enthusiasm among the
democrats at Bath. Harold NJ. Sewall, the
son of Arthur Sewall, who was consul at
Samoa under President Cleveland's first
administration, is now a republican, and
presided over the last state convention of
the party. He will take the stump for Nc
kinney and Hobart, and as he is elo-
qucnt speaker, it is expected that he will do
yeorlanS service for the republican cause.
The republicans have already begun their
speaking campaign. Senator Frye has al
ready been on the stump several days, and
Is making some telling speeches. There is
no Speaker who comes to Maine who is any
more popular or draws larger houses than
Mr.. Frye. Cong1 cssman Dingley has also
begun 10 speak in his district. and intends
to hold meetings in every important place
between now and the day of election. On
all sides there is republican enthusiasm
and confidence. Reports come of strong
silver sentiment in the counties of Waldo
Piscataquis, Penobscot and Aroostook, and
the democrats say that their canvass
shows that there is a republican disaffec-
ton which will surely surprise the opposi-
ton. But of this more will be said in an
other letter. H. A. w.