The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-28
The Pearson Movement Has Assumed
Large Proportions.
There Must Be a Land
slide To Elect Him.
The Figures of Previous Flee
lions Show This TO Be True.

The one topic OF conversation on the
street now is the contest for sheriff
When the Democrats at their county con-
vention failed to endorse Samuel #.
Pearson, the Prohibition nominee, it
was believed that MIR. Pearson was out OF
the race and even he thought for a time
that his chances were very poor. Bat
there rallied to Mr.. Pearson s support
many Republicans and Democrats OF
prominence who are giving him their
aid and it Is this unexpected movement
on the part OF prominent men in both
the large political parties chat Is causing
no little uneasiness IN both camps.
Mr.. Pearson's friends are claiming
that he vial draw largely from both par
ties here IN Portland, and that his vote
viii be surprisingly large in the country
towns. 1t really seems as though a great
many men, irrespective OF party, were to
vote for the Prohibition nominee. AS
one prominent ward politician said yes
terday to a PRESS reporter: eff all
the men who say they are going to vote
for Pearson cut the Republican and
Democratic candidates at the polls Pear
son viii give both candidates a pretty
hard run for their money!
This statement was made by one of Mr..
Despeaux's warm supporters and the
Republican workers all over the city
who know anything about the situation
are saying about the same thing.
"This movement for Pearson is swing
ing into line men of both parties, who
will cast their ballots for the Prohibition
nominee for four reasons" sail pol1ti-
clan yesterday. "The first is that class
in the community who want to see the
prohibitory law radically enforced. This
includes many OF the best citizens, the
church members and people OF that class,
and their number is thought to be
large. Another class Of men say they
are going to vote for Pearson because
they want to see this prohibition law
enforced once in such radical manner
that it will prove disgusting to every
citizen in Cumberland county and Will
result in strong movement for its
repeal. Still another class will vote for
Pearson, because they don't like the
manner in which Mr.. Despeaux has car
ried out his promises to the men who
gave him their support IN the close con-
test for the Republican nomination two
years ago, and there is still another class
Of people, and this number is large, who
will vote for Pearson, because they want
to see the fun which they think Will
result from an attempted radical enforce
ment of the law in this city.''
"-lo my mind, . said this man who is,
by the way, a Republican, I do not believe
half the people who say they are going
to vote for Pearson viii have the courage
to do it when they get to the polls. A
man VINO cuts his ticket In the polling
place lis usually spotted and noted. The
so-caIIed secret ballot is fraud in this
respect, for anyone with good eyesight
can tell whether a man is putting
sticker on ticket when he is in the
voting booth. Many timid men of both
parties know this ana they don't like to
have themselves regarded as doubtful by
the party leaders. The result is, or al
ways has been, that some of those who
are making so much talk are usually
those who vote the straight ticket when
the election day comes"
At this time it is interesting to look
up the votes of previous years for this
office. In 1894 Samuel d. Plummer was
candidate for the first time against
Matthew Morrill, Of Gray, Democrat, and
Samuel r, Pearson Proht bition. Plum
mer received $751; Morrill,, 6,O6s, and
Pearson, 965. Pmmmer's plurality was
therefore arse This was the vote on
what is called the rotf year, in Maine.
In 1896, q Presidential year, the Repub-
Iican and Democratic candidates were
the same but Parker was the Prohibition
candidate, and Frost the Peoples can
didate. Plummer's vote was 1920;
Morrill's, $500; Parker's, 68s, and Frost,
90. This gave Plummer plurality of
4, 75O 1000 more than he received on his
nrst election.
In 1898 Mr.. Despeaux was the RepubI-
can candidate for the first time, Warren
Chute of Naples, the Democratic candi-
data, and Mr.. Pearson the Prohibition
candidate. Despeaux received 81 81;
Chute, 4,812, and Pearson, 9O5 Des
peaux's pIurauty was A,9tS, oVO 4ess IMAM
Plumner S plurality on his first election.
BY the above figures it VIII be seen
that Mr.. Pearson has usually COM
manded about eco votes. 1t viii be seen
by taking the total votes of any one of
these three years, that Pearson per CEN
tage of gain must be enormous in order
to secure the election. He must secure
over a third of the Republican votes and
many Democratic votes as we'll, added
to the strongest Prohibition vote in
order to win.
1t seems on the face of it, If these con-
I,1rinnns may he drawn frnrn the fir11raa