Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-09-12


After one OF the hardest fought
political campaigns in the history of
Maine, the republicans won, bur by
greatly reduced majoriries. Governor
Gobb is reelected by a plurality of
about 5000 against about $1,000 two
years ago; all four republican con
Kressmen-Allen in the first district,
LittIefield in the second, Burleigh ia
she third, and Powers in the fourth
are re elected, they, toe, by reduced
majorities; the State legislature In
both branches is strongly republican,
thus insnring the re Il c.ion ot Sena
tor Frye, although the democ ats have
made gains in both ih- II ,uss and the
Senate; and ali the Counties ID II had
democratic sheriHs have lie eiected
them, and added K-nuebec 20 The
Asst
How accurately to account for SO
strIking a change in political senLi-
ment in SO short tine will keep the
politicians thinking for some time to
'me. Some Of the causes, however,
asa not far to seek, chief among them
bel g the Sturgis w-srimarily the
law itself, which was regarded as All
uaw&Trantah'e interfere .,;t with local
Z government, aud s-condArily
y rat was alleged 70 5e unfair dis
animation iu it's application.
rue effect OF THESE Two causes was
ost clearly seen in the result of the
s4ing in the cities, only four OF the
twenty cities OF the State being car
Tied by the republicans-Calais, East
port, Gardner and HalIowen.
Whether the general result is an ex-
preston of the opinion of the voLeis
Gu the enforcement Of the prohibitory
Law as well as on the method of en-
f9scement-the Sturgis law-may we'll
be doubted II it IL both, then there
ssn be no question as 10 the pr0priety
of the next legislature yielding to the
demand for resubmission. Through
ous the campaign there were evil
deRces outside the cities and larger
towns of sentiment in favor OF re-
submission, not because those who
we're yielding were losing their faith
in prohibition, but because they de-
sired an opportunity TO reafirm their
faith in 1t.
Bat 20 what extent this is true it is
after all hard TO determine from the
results of Mondays election, because
so many other interests aud issues
were involved.
Here in Ha2c3cS county, for ex-
ample, it is safe TO say that neither
prohibition itself nor the Sturgis law
figured 20 any great extent. There is
no use in denying the tact that the
result here was due 10 disaffection in
she republican party following the
sWo republican conventions, and the
Riea that Theses conventions were
dominated by a few and did not voice
the wishes of the party as a whole.
This revolt against what was flip
PANTY termed ring, whether it's
existence is real or imaginary, I'M
ioubtedly had its effect.
The reduced majority for the county
ticket as a whole must not, however,
be construed into a change OF re-
publican sentiment on general issues,
State or national. Hundreds of re-
publieans voted the straight demo-
cratic ticket rather than run the risk
OF losing their vote by the wrong use
OF stickers. 1t Is probably true also
that many did not.want it known, as
il would be il they took the time In
the voting booths to place stickers on
their ballots, that they were voting
ether than straight ticket, ana they
3isarmed suspicion by voting the
straight democratic ticket.
For the first time for many years
Ellsworth has gone democratic In a