Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-10-05
Cban 3
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Especial Washington Letter.

Especial Washington letter.
"HE signs of the times indicate to
those who possess memories that
the Republican tide has reached
the flood and Is now receding.
Oregon, Vermont and Maine elections
are straws which show which way the
wind Is blowing. All three show Demo
cratic gains and Republican losses
Oregon the least Of the three. There is
reason for everything under the sun,
and the reason why Oregon showed less
Republican loss and less Republican
gain than Vermont and Maine is be
cause the business of the Pacific coast
has been doomed by the Philippine
wars, more formerly than now.
In the case OF Vermont the net result
was the cutting down Of the Repub.
lican majority by 10000 to the congress
sional district, while in Maine it aver.
aged good deal less. Two years ago
Vermont rolled up Republican ma.
jority of over $4,000. This year the
Green Mountain State gives only $4,000
majority for the Republicans. Two
years ago in Maine Governor Cobb was
elected by over 10000 majority. Now
he pulls in with less than 5000. Such
reductions of Republican majorities all
over the land would give us the house
Of representatives in the Sixtieth con-
gress by an overwhelming majority.
Even half such reductions would give
US the house by seventy-five majority.
One-third or even one-fourth such re.
auctions would give it to us by good
working majority. OF course local Is.
sues figured somewhat in both Maine
and Vermont; still general causes oper-
ated largely. Two years ago. when the
Republican gains were large, the st.
Louis Globe Democrat, an arrogant and
raucous stand pat organ, declared that
Vermont Is an unfailing political ba-
rometer, and when Vermont rolled up
her beastly Republican majority in
September, 1904, the Globe Democrat
said that 1t meant that Judge Parker
would be dattened out completely, and
20 he was. Now, when the returns
show a net Republican loss Of 10000.
the CD. says. after the manner Of Mr..
Toots, that It's Of no consequence. It
seems that in the G.-D.'s philosophy as
well as In Webster's old blue back
speller very much depended on whose
OK Is gored, but If Vermont is an in
fallible political barometer when she
goes Republican, why is she not just
d. infallible barometer when she
turns toward Democracy It's poor
rule that doesn't work both ways.
Much attention has been paid to the
result In Maine for more than half
century, or, to be exact, for sixty-six
years. In the September election in
1910. the year Of the coonskin. log
cabin, hard cider hysterla. the Wings
carried the state, which was oansid=
cred prediction of the result In the
presidential election and added to the
deiirium. For two months the follow
Or of .1Fippeeapoe and Tyler, too"
made the land reson.HH4 With the re-
frain.
MAINE went he'll bent tor Governor
Kent" and thereby added thousands
Of votes to General William Henry
Harrison's majorities. So, while every
body expected both Vermont and
Maine to 80 Republican this year, the
results as to the size Of the majorities
are significant and cheer the hearts Of
Democrats everywhere. The hearty
thanks Of the country are due to the
heroic Democracy Of the Green Noun
tain and Pine Tree states for the amaz-
ing battle they put up. The Republic
ems had, as usual. all the money they
wanted and rushed some Of their big
guns into those states. Uncle Joe Can
non campaigned SO hard that he had
severe chill, and no doubt MI, Secre-
tary Of War William 81. Taft worked
several pounds Of superhuous adipose
tissue OF. Things were 10 hot and Hon.
Charles q. Littledeld's scalp was in
sgch imminent peril that President
Roosevelt was persuaded to declare
that be would consider the defeat of
hdttleneld as a national calamity, not
w1thstaading the fact that Mr.. Etttle-
neld was one Of the seven men II con-
sress who voted against tho railroad
rate bill. On the other hand. the Dem
ocrats had no campaign fund and could
net pay the travelling expenses Of out
side speakers, 30, as most Democratic
speakers Of removal aTs poor as church
MICE, the Maine DEMOCRATS had to do
their !pwp fighting and speaking except
tie aid rendered them by Hon. Samuel
Gompers. president Of the Federation
az Labor II vaa NOT only In emitting