Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-09
GA 81 -
Il ue -

1t is entirely safe to say that the Re-
publican plurality in yesterdays ele1-
ton exceeded the most sanguine ex-
pectations of the party workers. 1t was
an off-year contest. and the outlook
was cIouded by an unusually large
number of local contests. For the past
two decades the Republican pluralities
outside of Presidential years have
averaged about 1900. So strong had
been Names endorsement of Mckinley
and Roosevelt in the national cam
paign of two years ago, that it was
feared that many Republicans would
not appreciate the Importance of regis
tering their votes in yesterdays con-
tesS.
This condition prevailed in some de-
gree; but not to the extent that was
feared There was considerable fall
ing off in the vote of both parties; but
the vigorous campaign waged by the
Republicans, and the very widespread
satisfaction in the administrations of
President Roosevelt and Governor Hill,
resulted in Il far greater outpouring Of
Republican votes. with Il much larger
resulting plurality than Chairman
Simpson and his associates on the
State committee had deared to look for
They would have been well satisfied
with a margin of 1900 or 1S,0O0-but
the returns received up to midnight in
dictate a Republican plurality of at
least 26O0o-apd it would not be SUI.
prising if it should be found to have
gone even higher. With one single eX-
ception this is the largest Republican
plurality thrown in an off-year elee--
tom in the history of our State.
A powerful factor in bringing about
this result has been the very general
appreciation of President Roosevelt
strong. vigorous and thoroughly
American administration of our ma
tional affairs. An equally strong fac
tor has been Governor Hilfs able adj
ministration of State affairs. During
his two years in the Executive chair,
the total debt incurred on account of
the war with Spain has been wiped out,
and $4,000 paid on the debt that has
come down to us from the Civil War
making more than half million dol
lars of Indebtedness that has been paid
during the less than two years of his
administration--all of which has been
ACCOMPLISHED without any increase in
the state rate of taxation.
The people have fully appreciated
the fact that the pledges made in the
state convention at Bangor which first
nominated Governor Hill. have been
fully redeemed.
To-day the great cooperative interests
are bearing larger share of the pub
lie burdens than ever before in their
history. This year. outside of the
cities, the towns of Maine will receive
from the State treasury for school pur-
poses 20 per cent of all the money they
pay into it in taxes-and 25S-more
than half os them will receive from
the State in the apportionment of
school money, sums in excess of their
STATE tax. - ALNFNEH
The State rate of taxation is nomi-
nally %. mills: but deducting from this
the average of 30 per cent. which is re-
turned to the towns for the support Of
their schools. il leaves but e7ls
cents. on every $1,000 of State vahiatio
to be paid in for the support of the
State deoartments, and its charitable.
educational. and penal institutions.
Despite the large reduction made lin
the State debt. there will be hand
some cash balance in the treasury on
January /. 1909.
The people of Maine take Just
pride in this strong, able and business
like administration of their affairs. and
they showed it yesterday by giving