The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-08
THE coNrEsr I'M MAINE.


On Monday the Maine election for
state officers viii be held. There is no
/ question as to the result It is simply a
question of majorities. There is a great
| deal of interest attached to the coming
contest because of the detection of ex-
Speaker Reed, whom the Pine Tree
state citizens have so long honored and
whom they hold almost in idolatrous
reverence.
Not in twenty years prior to this fall
| has Mr. Reed refrained from stunping
his state. Republicans high in national
councils have invited the brainy lawyer
to don his armor and take the field in
his party's cause. But the appeals have
fallen on unwilling ears. Mr.. Reed
simply replied that ''he was too busy
with his law practice
That the ex-speaxer is opposed to the
policy of the present administration
goes without saying. But to what ex-
tent he has carried his enmity there are
few that know. It is not recorded that
he has written any letters to his Maine
constituency asking them to bolt the
Republican ticket. But undoubtedly
his silence will have some effect on
Mondays vote. How much remains to
be seen.
On the other hand the detection of the
ex-speaker has placed the administra-
ton on its mettle, and Chairman Hanna
is moving heaven and earth to make
a showing. Pamphlets by the thou
sands and eloquent Republican spell
binders have been scattered over the
state. There are a few signs of apathy
notwithstanding the efforts being made
to arouse the voters. Mr.. Holman F.
Day. of Lewiston, perhaps the best po-
litical writer in the state, in a letter
to the Boston Advertiser, says that
Maine is thoroughly absorbed in state
issues this year. ANY Maine politi-
cian,' he adds, who knows his business
will tell you that about every twenty
years Republican Maine grows FESTIVE,
querulous, reactionary, and the rural
element, if it is not managed shrewdly,
kicks high, wide, and lively over the
traces" While the state administration
has been honest, Mr.. Day says the i'm
preston has gained in the farming re-
gions that salaries have been raised bit
by bit, and that expenses and taxes
having increased considerably, the fell
lows who are running things down to
Augusta need to be called down just
for the sake of example.
The tempestuous platitudes about the
priceless possessions in the Philippines
are described as making the Maine au-
diences "scuff the floor YEARLY" and
the men in the back rows tiptoe out,
and the band members go to sleep. Mr..
Day says he was thoroughly astonished
at the reception given General Gros-
venor in Lewiston last week. The gen
eral gave his hearers hot stuff on finance
and duty to our new possessions, but
the audience yawned and talked around
=
was None of the foreign speakers have
yet hit the clip" for the voters are in
quiring for state reports on taxation and
attending the meetings where state is
sues are discussed, without caring a
sou markee for free silver or imperial
ism.
In 1894 the Republican majority was
SO, 97S: in 1896 it jumped up to 45,777, and
in 1898 went back down to a. 769.
Senator Burrows, who has been de-
livering campaign speeches in Maine,
has arrived in Washington. In a recent
conversation he said: There is no
doubt that Maine will give the Repub-
lican ticket a good majority, though it
is not expected that the majority of
four years ago will be equalled.''
Ex-Minister Bartlett Trip, who has
also been spending his vacation IN
Maine, where he delivered several cam
paign speeches, says: Maine will give
large Republican majority in the com
ing election. 1t will not be as large as
four years ago, when the majority was
the phenomenal one of about 4S, 900. The
majority of this year will be 2E .OOG or
10000. That will be up to Republican
majorities of other years The falling
off will be entirely due to the feeling of
from the polls
Thomas Bracket Reed has not yet
announced his idea of the Republican
majority, but if it falls below 10000 it is
not thought that he will lose any sleep.
Nor will he describe the result, like
Bartlett Trip, as due to a feeling of
confidence