New-York tribune., 1906-07-28
MAINE A BATTLE-GROUND
ISSUES IN THE ELECTION.
Republicans Meeting Al attacks
from Within and Without.

from Within and Without.
rFrom a Special Correspondents os The Tribunal
Augusta. Me-. July 27.-For two or three genera
uons Maine has been looked upon sort Of pOlit-
ical barometer with its September elections fore
telling the extent and nature Of the coming Novem-
Der storm throughout the country. This was so
back in the historic times when
Maine went.
EOr Governor Kent:
For TIppecanoe
And Tyler, too.
1t is not merely because Maine is one Of the few
states that hold their elections in early September
rather than in November that there is such wide
spread interest In its elections and so much sig
niheance attached to the result but It Is rather
because in some mysterious way the idea has come
70 pervade political circles that the rise and fall
OF political fortunes here in Maine is an index OF
what the rest OF the country may expect This
too In spite Of the fact that since the organization
OF the Republican party. half century ago. Maine
has been unwaverins in its allegiance to it Since
the state elected AnsO1 p. Morrill, its first Re
first national convention OF the political party
vas held in Philadelphia. the margin Of Repub-
llcan victories has varisd from a few thousand to
the fifty thousand which marked the high tide year
OF 1886 an Is true that, a result Of the Green
back craze. quarter Of century ago, the state
wandered for brief year or two from the true Re
publican path. This the exception which has
proved the rule OF its thick-and-thin Republican
ism. The size Of the Republican margin Of victory
here and the efforts which the Republicans are
forced by their opponents to put forth are regarded
as showing something Of what will happen at th1
November elections throughout the rest Of the
country
1t will be the same this year as in the past but
the result Of the election is likely be misunder-
stood and msinterpreted by political observers out
side the state, unless they give due weight to
several important local factors which at present
complicate the situation. To begin with, national
issues viii enter but little into the campaign which
Is now beginning here. The Republican orators
and editors will the magic name Of Roosevelt
on all occasions, and also talk tariff when anybody
will listen. for the Dingley tariff means much 20
the Maine farmers and manufacturers. but they
win have hard work to convince many voters that
Roosevelt or the tariff are involved IN the votes
that viii be cast on September TO- In one sense Il
Is true that national politics involved In the
election OF the four Congressman. and the Legis-
lsture which will choose successor to Senator
William P. Frye, but the most optimistic Democrat
hardly dares to hope that any Of the present Con-
gressmen can be defeated, or that Democratic
Legislature be elected
The great issue OF this years campaign In Maine,
and the one topic which the papers and people of
/ the state are now discussing, is the liquor ques-
| ton. For three-quarters of a century this same
| question has been troublesome factor In Maine
! politics. The state was q pioneer in the tenn
perance movement, and early adopted the policy
| Of attempting by law the absolute prohibition of
/ Cne uQuor CraI1c- Tn1s policy mas brought upon
| Maine much ridicule and many unpleasant COM
ments from various sources outside the state. but
/ 1t has swerved from the path It started out
to follow. About twenty years ago the prohibitory
/ law was embodied in amendment which the
people. by overwhelming vote. added to the
state constitution. and it Is around this amend
merit and proposition to resubmit 1t to the people
that the chief storm Of this campaign centres.
PROHIBITION THE QUESTION.
It is battle between prohibition and resubnis-
sion the resuhmissionIstS urging that as the pro
hibition policy has become unpopular In recent
years, and as a new generation has come upon the
| stage since the constitutional amendment was
made. the people should have another opportunity
/ 20 express themselves upon the subject The Re
publican platform is SQuarely for prohibition and
the rigid enforcement Of the existing laws On this
! platform Governor Cobb was elected in 1904, and
he has been true to his pledge. To give him more
power the Legislature passed the sO-called Sturgs
law creating a commission to be appointed by the
Governor, this commission through it's deputies to
enforce the prohihitory law IN localities where the
sherifs and local officers neglect their duty. This
commission has been active in several cities, with
| the result that the stats was never so dry" as II
has been during the last two years Where for a
| generation there had been virtually license sys-
tenn the result OF the paymsnt Oh annual or semi
annual fines by hotel men. druggists, restaurant
keepers and others. there has been general and
| parching dTouth Sheri1-made law In nUllihcauoE
OF the statutes has been superseded by strict en-
forcement through the activity Of the several dep
ut1es appointed under the sturgts law. To be sure
| the Democrats make the charge that the activities
OF the Sturgis laW deputies have not been uniform
throughout the state. and that cities, notably
| Lewiston. Augusta, Gardiner, WaterviIle and Bath
! have been selected for them 70 work in, while
others, Ike Bangor and Biddeford, have been al
| lowed to wide Open," in the old days. As a
result Of the enforcement regime. the Sturgis law
and the Republican Governor who urged its pas
| sage have become very unpopular with large ele-
| ment IN practically all the cities, including many
| who formerly voted the Republican ticket At last
springs election nearly all the cities carried
| by the Democrats. including Augusta. which had
! had but one Democratic Mayor for half century
and Rockland. the home city OF Governor Cobb.
Taking advantage OF the unpopularity Of the pro
hibitOry law In the cities, the Democrats have
| forced it as the most prominent issue OF the cam
| patgn and argue that there be no good reason
| why the people should not have the chance to say
| whetheg the law be repealed and abandoned as
part OF the state policy. remain in the consttu
| ton. Moreover. they have framed their demand
| and made their arguments in such a way thai
'resubmission'' and license mean the same thine
in the public mind AS matter OF fact. it is alto
gether likely that IL the question were TO be re-
| submitted the present system would be reamrme(
| and prohibition remain a part Of the constitution
but the champions Of prohibition contend that re-
submission would be q concession to the license ele
ment. and that It would involve unnecessary anC
| expensive campaign. As one old farmer has ex
! pressed It. after you've caught the pig. therV
! hain't sense in letting him out OF the bag fol
| the sake Of catching him again"
| II the Republican party OF Maine has been guilty
| Of using the prohibitory law political football
In the past. as has frequently been charged, It nov
| stands squareIy enough on the issue 1t declareC
for a rigid enforcement Of the law In the $50
campaign and carried the state by 1900 maiorit!
in a total vote of 49, 500. II has given the stat