Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-09-12
Ante ELECTION Estimates.


The Hartford Times calls attention
to a trick in politics that is peculiar
to Maine. The manner of the people
who are conducting political campaigns
in most states is TO claim in advance
more for their party than they expect
to get. The effect of it is supposed TO
be TO impart courage to their followers
by inspiring them with hopes of carry
ing elections. or, at least, making gains
in them. But this has not been
thought necessary of late years in
Maine. The Democrats are so de-
pressed there that nothing can rouse
them, and their party doesn't do much
more than go through the motions in
its campaigns, while the Republicans,
realizing this, feel it safe for them
selves to dispense with ante-election
Dragging. Yet, as there is apt TO De
danger of apathy or some local issue
cutting down Republican maJoritles IN
Maine, the foxy politicians there cast
an anchor TO windward by processing
to expect less in the election than they
really do. They have done this two or
three times of late years. Ii took the
form on Monday of claim of only 70
900 majority in the state, when $4,000
was what they expected. The Demo-
Gratis, who are much less shrewd, fell
into the trap, and based their claim ac-
cordingly; but a moments reflection
would have convinced any one that 1T
was simply preposterous to believe
that the Republicans. in advance of the
election. admitted a loss to their party
Of 1900 votes. 1t is significant that
we don't hear now from them of their
doing better than they expected.
though they are at least 5000 votes
better off if they were sincere in their
prcdictions.-Boston Herald.
The Herald never misses an orpor-
tunity to misrepresent the Republican
attitude. In the comment quoted
above it does an injustice to the party
in Maine and to the leaders whose
anti-eIection estimates were published
in the papers. We do not believe that
one voter of a hundred in Maine, what
ever his party. expected the Republi-
can victory of Monday to reach any
such proportions as it attained. There
was the "off year" apathy to overcome
the election on the general ticket was
foregone conclusion. There were
local issues in several counties. The
attendance al the campaign rallies had
rot been large. In estimating the ex-
pected plurality at $4,000 or 1900. as
Chairman Simpson did, he voiced the
Of thnCa in plnen tnUrh
with the campaign. There was no
trick" about it, nor any trap" for the
opposition. That had been the average
of year" plurality for score of years.
and the Democrats We're getting to-
gether and working hard. No doubt
many Republicans hoped the plurality
would be 10000 or more, but they We're
prepared for less and would have had
no reason to feel badly had it been less.
The result of the election exceeded
the most sanguine hopes of all. The
apathy in the party proved TO be only
apparent, not real. The Republicans
were alive to the issues of the day and
were not so Iull pi commence Dut tlldl
they rallied to the polls and rolled up
a vote and plurality much larger than
trat at the last off year election and
not far behind that of the presidential
year of 1900. The Republicans were
sincerely surprised and pleased and the
Democrats sincerely astounded and
disappointed at the result-the Herald
to the contrary notwithstanding. And
T. the Herald editor talks with Maine
people or reads the Maine papers he
the plurality being more than was ex-
pected.