The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-09-24
MAINE JOINS VERMONT.
From Philadelphia pa Ledger.

49, --@-NNN
The marked reduction in the Republican
majority in Maine is indicative Of party apathy,
and, taken in connection with the slump in
the Republican vote in Vermont, shows
prevalence of conditions that may well give
Republican leaders throughout the country
concern. While the Maine Republicans elect
their State ticket the four Representatives in
Congress and full Senate, the Democrats
have gained a number of seats in the LegiS-
lature, and Governor Powers plurality over
his Democratic opponent is estimated at 26,-
600, whereas he had 48,377 when formerly
elected. The Republican vote fell off nearly
25 per cent. from 1896, and the Democratic
vote shows loss of about per cent. Ex-
Congressman Luther Mckinney made warm
fight against Speaker Reed, whose plurality
is reduced nearly 1000, and in this district
the vote of Powers shows an even greater re-
ductiOn. State Chairman Manley's explana-
ton of the returns is that the Democrats con-
Quoted an active campaign, whereas the Re
publlcans, relying upon the certainty of elect
ing their ticket, made only perfunctory
effort to get out the vote.
1t may be that the Republicans made no
special effort, but this cannot be accepted as
Il satisfactory explanation of the default of
about one-quarter of the party vote. Nor
does it display Chairman Manley in a favor
able light. The reduction in the Republican
plurality in Vermont was hailed throughout
the land as a rebuke to the shameful misman-
agement of the War Department. which has
afforded an issue upon which the Democrats
are eager to test the sentiment of the country.
The losses in Vermont naturally should have
lmpelled the Republican organization in
Maine to put some fervor into its campaign,
but if, as Chairman Manley says, the contest
was merely a drifting race on the part of the
Republicans, fair ground is afforded for the
belief that the State Committee is lacking in
zeal and intelligence.
That the Republicans, though conducting
quiet campaign, were sanguine of satisfac-
tory results, is shown by the following para
graph, which appeared in the Kennebec
Journal, the leading party organ, on the
morning of the day of the election:
''The Republicans of Maine are loyal and
| public spirited Men worthy their support
and confidence are on the ticket, and they
realize that there are even more reasons than
in 1896 why Repubicanism should triumph.
We are confident that when the returns come
in tonight they will show that the Republicans
haye rallied to the polls, and carried the can
didates of the party in every section of the
State into office by majorities which will be
an inspiration to the party throughout the
country. They will not be satisfied by merely
electing their candidates. They want to do
it by rousng majorities, worthy of the strong
and harmonious Republican party of Maine.
Let every Republican do his duty today, and
| a grand victory will be won"
The figures show that Vermont led off the
the fall elections with notable reduction in
the Republican plurality, and that Maine fol-
lowed with an even greater reduction. No
pretence is made that the party organization
in Vermont did not bend every effort to get
out the full vote, and it is improbable that
Chairman Manley's Committee was quite as
listess as he claims it to have been. The
Maine Republicans are of fighting stock, and
party spirit runs high in their State, as it
does i'll all communities where there is little
immigration. They can have had no desire
to slur Speaker Reed, as he is quite as much
a favorite as was James G. Blaine, whose
! mantle as a statesman he wears by the full
consent of the State of Maine. The money
question can have cut no figure in the contest,
as the spirit had completely eclipsed it.
To Algerism alone must we look as the source
of Republican discomfort. Within a week
| Senator Mark Hanna, who is probably in
! closer touch with President Mckinley than
is any other politician, has come out in ad
vocacy of Secretary Alger's course, and this
has given rise to the impression, if not to the
! conviction, that the Executive intends to
stand by Alger; particularly as President Nc
Kinley's circular arranging for an investiga
ton of the War Department specifies the
Commissary, Quartermaster and Medical
Bureaus as subjects for investigation, and ig
nores the conduct Of Secretary Alger himself
and Adjutant General Corbin.
1t is very probable that the next Senate OF
the United States will be Republican, but if
the New England elections may be accepted
as a finger board the House Of Representa-
tives can be carried by the Republicans only
by the nomination of candidates of sterling
merit and the prosecution Of campaign OF
unceasing activity. There is unrest among
the voters and they are in the mood for indie
pendence. They are irate at Algerism and
the incapacity of the War Department to
properly care for the soldiers in the field and
in camp, and they are disgusted with the
rapacity and unblushng knavery of State and
municipal rings. To elect a Republican Con-
gress and thus defend sound money and the
other salutary principles defined in the St.
| Louis platform, the party must take forward
step, and the prime essential to throw the
Jonahs overheard, from Alger and Quay to
the humblest of their followers and imitators.
! Ordinarily, the war successfully waged against
| Spain should have redounded greatly to the
advantage of the party in power That this
advantage is not being reaped is evident and
highly significant