The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-27
AN ELECTION IN MAINE.


some Glm0 dRo W5 copleu lrOln Inc Lon
don Mail the first instalment of letter
written by an Englishman, who was In
this city on the day of the State election,
and wrote his Impressions concerning it.
The second installment of the letter ap-
pears in the Mail of October 10, and is as
follows:
Continuing my quest of an election
through the streets of Portland, l sud-
denly caught afar of a CLINT of scarlet
and gold. I here came slowly up the
street n respleDdent wagon with six
horses, in which a brass band made
deafening music.
Here WAS the true Transatlantic cleo
ticneering at lastl 1t came nearer, and
behind il appeared file Of gorgeously
caparisoned horsemen. Better and bat
tor. | thought of the mounted farriars
OF our Hyde Park demonstrations, but it
was new thing to find them in con-
tested slsetion. Now was about to see.
By this time I was abreast of the lead
ing car. looked eagerly beyond, and
then-and then-a clown driving two
dopkeys tandem, and behind him a
swaying elephant: with an advertise
World Renowned Circusl"
! walked desperately into the nea rest
hotel and asked If somebody would
kindly
DIRECT ME TO THE ELECTION.
Then. at last, found 1t. Two undis-
tinguishable committee rooms, hidden
away behind shops, and polling booth.
No colors, no canvassers. no hauling of
reluctant voters to the ballot, no candi-
dates driving round fourth hand. If
mi ale -
staid ENGLAND But it seems my igno-
rance had betrayed me again. In this
country the excitement ceases on the eve
of the poll, and nothing remains for the
actual day but the quiet garnering of
the crop of votes COnfound my igno-
Iancel had lost day.
However, did observe that an Ameri-
can polling booth is not unlike the same
article as found among us. Shavings
werc on the floor; bar stretched across
the room, and on the far side of it were
little loose boxes rou I'd the wall for the
voters to vote in. / saw half dozen la
boriously discharging the duties of free
citizenship. 1t is no light matter voting
at an election like this. Besides your
governor. your congressman, your sen a.
tors and mem bers of the legislature, you
have to elect sheriff, county attorney,
county commissioner and other funo-
tionaries whose functions know not.
The form of the ballot paper empha-
sizes what had noticed before-the
enormous
STRINGENCY OF THE PARTY TIE
in this country. Our voting papers
simply give you the names Of Smith
and Jones, and If you don't know which
is which the country is not going to
hQIp Tho Ay,,o hall
marks off the whole list of each party's
Candidates in separate column, with its
denomination-Repu Dem ocratio
and SO on. If you want to vote a
straight ticket as the instructions put
1t, you just make q cross at the top of
Of the list. If you want to split the
ticket-thas is vote for some of the party
and not others-you cross out the name
you object to, and write in it's steal that
IF your fancy.
When the country thus conspires with
party discipline. it must require real
strength of mind for man to vote ac-
Of the good results of this election-so
several thoughtful people have assured
me-shat more voters will split the ticket
this time than ever before. Now, if a
man who has once broken away from his
party will do so again ii he thinks right,
thss is formed body OF voters who will
Lurn elections on their own independent
opinion. The nucleus of such body
came with the many Republicans who
voted against the Mckinley tariff. Now
will come an even larger oontingent of
Democrats, supporters of the gold cur
rency. The creation of such an indepen-
dent electorate should be powerful aid
to sound government in the future.
Having got this wrong end of telss-
copio view of an American election the
only diversion left was to
BREAK The MAINE LIQUOR LAW.
1t was put into my head by the genial
salutation Of q gentleman who could
only just keep on his legs. In Maine,
as you know, the buying and selling Of
alcoholic liquor is Internationally for
penalty. I thought would try to incur
shat unknown penalty. Bethinkipg me
that the barber ia the friend of man,
went in and was shaved. "You can't
buy drink here. am told" began.
NO" said the barber stolidly. 81
suppose people do, though" II don't
s1 agUaa ush a9o %o it, fsnS Tbea shs ss
by powerful effort of memory. "There
is a bar right here where you can get 1t, +"
ne said.
Following his directions I walked
down long passage, and at the back
of the house, among sculleries and tn
like there was bar indeed. 'sWhis-
key, - said ], hardly, and whiskey was
produced. 1t was exceptionally good
whiskey, and it was no dearer than any
where else. "Isn't this what they call
prohibition State"' asked. 'sIs's sup
posed to be-" grinned the bartender.
But don't the police or somebody come
down on your" "Now and then they
take 1t in their head to make fuss -
Such is temperance legislation in its
chosen seat. 1t was impossible that tn is
bar, in the very centre of the tow n
should not be known and used by every
body that cared to know and use it.
While ! was there workingman came
in and bought bottle of whiskey and
took it awny with him He remarked
Ironically that he had dyspepsia, and
expect he has by now. Thus is the law
brought into contempt, and thus be-
came criminal. Portland in the New
Worldwide knows-may be for me the
first downward stepping stone to Port
land in the Old.
WIT AND WISDOM.
Has His Doubts.