The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-09-29

addltlOnal for Smith and one addltiOnal
for Lang The above mentioned irregu-
larities are not embraced in AZ ballots
rejected at the original count by election
officers as defective. 1t is possible that
some of these may enter the case in a
later stage of proceedings.
The election of six Democratic sher-
ifs in Maine, all save one in counties
normally Republican, has been attrib-
uted to dissatisfaction with the prohibit
tory law and Il growing sentiment in
favor of license system. We believe
this conclusion to be unwarranted. In
all editorial on the second page some
reasons are given for that belief, and
since that article was written additional
evidence has come to hand to strengthen
that position. In Hancock county both
parties declared for the prohibitory law.
The Democratic candidate before his
nomination had expressed himself in
favor of enforcement and since his
election he has further pledged himself
in this direction. The Republican can
didate, who was the present incumbent,
had not satisfied those who wanted
strict enforcement; hence his defeat.
Hancock chose a Democratic sheriff, as
the Ellsworth American says, "for the
avowed purpose of stricter enforce
ment.'
Now as to Somerset. 1.-TWO years
ago. says the Somerset Reporter,
Through the impression that the posi-
ton held by the Republican nominee
for sheriff was equivocal strong fight
was put up against him. The Demo-
cratic nominee a man in whom Somer-
set people have implicit confidence,
came out publicly for impartial en-
forcement of the prohibitory law and
was elected, overcoming a plurality OF
100 and leading theRepubEcan nominee
by about 200 votes. He took possession
of the office and has made vigorous,
prompt, efficient sheriff, one of the best
that ever served Somerset county or
any other county, and, moreover, has
effectively enforced the prohibitory law
without fear or favor"
This year the Republican nominee,
who was elected by a small plurality,
before his nomination announced, eX-
piicitly, over his own signature in pub
lie print. his determination to enforce
the prohibltory law IN the event of his
al oh O
with the understanding that he would
enforce the prohibitory law and an
iron clad enforcement plank was placed
in the platform of the convention that
nominated him. Therefore he stood
for enforcement from start to finish.
Thus two years ago, and this year, Som
erset county has declared Enthusiastically
for prohibition, and in 1902 party lines
were broken to secure it. The Repub-
lean candidate was defeated that year
because his position on that issue was
equivocal and Republican was elected
this year because he stood for iron-clad
enforcement
IC lGSull LII ID SCuCldlly
accepted as an endorsement of the "Pen-
| nell plan; that is, regulation rather
than enforcement. 1t is of course con-
coded that the cities will favor license
and Cumberland includes Portland, the
largest city in the State. The Bridgton
News says that of the 90, 291. votes cast
this year for sheriff the cities and big
toWns-Portland, South Portland, West
brook, Brunswick and gton--threw
l4,05o, or considerably over two-thirds;
but adds that, "The country is quite as
demoralized as to Pennellism as the
wicked city But is it not true that
two of the opposing candidates who
stood for enforcement had, combined,
more votes than Pennell?
We fail to see in our late election
any indication of a change of sentiment
on the liquor question; and we believe
that Maine stands to-day, as she has in
the past, for prohibition of the liquor
| traffic