The Portland daily press., 1900-10-31
Gov Powers Congress
sional Aspirations.
Strong Undercurrent in
Favor of Judge Foster.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.1

Augusta, October sO.-"Peaks is the
man who seems to be gaining" is the
way one observer sized up the situation
today. The supporters of Mr.. Peaks in
his candidacy for the judgeship left va
can't by the death Of Judge Haskell, are
apparently working on the superstition
that the man with the biggest petition
and the greatest number of letters will
prove the winner IN the contest. And
acting on his theory the Peaks men are
hustling. The Peaks candidacy did not
assume the proportions of a boom until
several days ago when Willis A. Parsons,
Esq Of Foxcroft, a town which is
next door neighbor to Dover, the home
OF Mr.. Peaks, appeared at the Capital.
Mr.. Parsons brought in his grip the
Peaks petition and he found a few mem
bers of the Augusta bar who signed, but
here and In Gardiner the member of
the bar are pretty generally enlisted in
support Of Judge Peabody OF Portland.
Mr.. Parsons while he did not meet with
great success in securing signatures IN
Gardiner and Augusta, nevertheless
claims that in Kennebeo county at large,
he found many who gave their aid to
Mr.. Peaks. He also claims strength in
Androscoggin county, Lewiston and Au-
burn having been canvassed IN behalf of
the railroad commissioner. The Peaks
forces say thai Knox county lawyers are
practically unanimous in support of
their candidate and they also say that
Mr.. Peaks has great strength in the
eastern part of the state. The general
understanding here is that they are
straining every nerve to pile up letters
and add names to the petitions in favor
of their candidate.
The candidacy of Mr.. Peaks is by some
supposed to be likely to receive assistance
from the situation due to the contest over
the next appointment to the railroad
commission. The railroad commission
is composed Of three members. The law
provides that one member shall be.a
lawyer, one a civil engineer and one
practical railroad man. OF the present
board, Mr., Peaks is the lawyer, Mr.. Dan
forth the civil engineer, and Mr.. Chad
bourne the railroad man The appoint
ment which must soon be made will be
to I'LL the vacancy caused by the expira-
ton Of the term OF Mr.. Danforth, who is
a candidate for re-appointment AS
competitor, Mr.. Danforth has Mr.. Parker
SpofTord of Bucksport, and these two
gentlemen have made hot fight forEthe
place II Mr.. Peaks should be appointed
to the bench there would be two vacan-
cies on the railroad commission. Mr..
Chadbourne is lawyer and If one Of the
other two may be regarded as practi
cal railroad man as well as engineer,
both might be appointed and the contest
thus settled. That is one way OF look
ing at the situation, but the supporters
OF Mr.. Peaks seem to be placing their
upon the letters and petitions.
Another name that is heard here In
connection with the vacancy on the bench
is that of ex-Judge Foster. Several
day ago, Judge Foster was quoted as say
ing that he was not candidate, but
that does not deter his friend from con-
tinuing their efforts in his line. On the
early forenoon train today came Hon.
George ID. Bisbee and Hon. Waldo Pet
tingill of Rumford Falls, and they at
once repaired to the state house. There
Mr.. Bisbee told the PRESS correspon-
dent that he had come to Augusta to look
around. Asked about the judgeship, Mr..
Bisbee did not hesitate to declare that
he favored the appointment Of Judge
Foster. The PRESS correspondent
asked Mr.. Bisbee If Judge Foster would
accept if renominated, and Mr.. Bisbee
replied that he thought Judge Fosts r
would not decline. Judge Fosters sup
porters are quoted by others as saying
that they know the Judge would accept
While MIR. Bisbee is looking around,
letters are coming urging the appoint
ment Of Judge Foster and the impression
among officials and lawyers here seems
to be that the Foster movement Is one
which may be taken seriously.
Another bit of gossip heard here is
that still a further effort may be made to