The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1906-09-18
rnr MIx-UP 1N MAINE.


We do not now call to mind any
election that has been the cause of SO
much worry and mixed explanations
on the part of the Republican brethren
as has resulted from the recent Maine
contest. Formerly the election in that
state, being one of the first general
elections to be held, was looked on as
pretty good indication OF what would
be the result OF the coming fall cleo
tions. and some are contending that the
decided Republican slumps this year.
and the Democratic gains, Indicate that
the Republican party is going to be
overwhelmed this fall. and also two
years hence.
Taking casual view of the result
this would look like fair reasoning.
Two years ago the majority for Cobb,
the Republican candidate for Governor,
was nearly $4,000 over Davis, his DEM
ocratic competitor. This year the same
men were candidates and Cobbs ma
jority over Davis will be less than s.
600. This, we repeat, has the appear
anec of being a decided setback for
the dominant party, but 1t is nothing
but just TO say that the party was
badly torn up on account of the pro-
hibition law. Perhaps we cannot bet
ter explain this than by copying the
following from The New York Com
mercial:
A considerable proportion of the Re-
publican party in Maine has taken &C.
casion to rebuke that policy of their
maintained prohibition that does
not prohibit; and the Democrats
have administered to their opponents
tne snarpest slap In the face tnat they
sistent hypocrisy. The Pine Tree Re-
publicans profess to keen, honest
desire to suppress the liquor traffic,
but for half a century nearly they have
elected men to office who decline to en-
force the brohibitory laws; as a result
the cities and larger towns in that
cheap-rum trade, the morale of the
people is perceptibly declining, and
their politics. In certain centers, Is
smonR the most rotten in the country.
Three years ago the progressive eie-
ment in the dominant party sought to
secure re-submission of the prohibit
ton question to the people, the propo-
sition being to take that principle"
out of the State constitution entirely,
SO that the people might any time elect
law makers who would be free TO enact
laws. Almost beyond question the
popular vote would have kept prohibit
tion still in, the constitution; but the
the wa ns es sSs people to to
press their opinions on the question
h has 81, now put the party in sorry
stromg rhs pank Put their
platform this year: they have come
very close to winning on the issue; and
now Republican legislature. weaker
must either steal the Democratic thun-
der of re-submission or else face al
most absolute defeat two years from
now. albeit that will be a presidential
year.
We have made this lengthy extract
from The Commercial because 1t sets
out in intelligent shape the main cause
of the great falling Off In the Repub-
lican vote. The people OF all parties
were tired of the miserable sham
which, under the name of prohibition.
has been delusion and a snare for
half a century or more They had
seen the effects of Neal Dowison,
which not only failed to prohibit, but,
as The Commercial points out, was re-
sponsible for many and crying evils
which called aloud for remedy. Be
cause the Republicans would not give
selves at the polls for or against the
continuance of the prohibition sham.
and because the Democrats offered
them that opportunity, thousands OF
them either remained away from the
polls or voted the Democratic ticket
1t was a graphic method of showing
the party in power that their patience
was exhausted and that they were de-
termined on a change. even If they lost
the State to the Republicans.
While this is a fair way of account
ing for much of the Republican loss
the result cannot be taken as encourag-
ing to the administration, for II made
strenuous efforts to hold the voters in
line Secretary Taft went up there
and preached to them that Roosevelt
was the issue and that it was essen
tial to give Cobb large vote as evil
dence of confidence in the administra-
ton. Speaker. Cannon, and Senators
Lodge and Beveridge all went up and
down the State singing the same song
to the faithful, but the faithful refus-
ed TO be hoodooed longer. They pre-
ferred to see the administration go to
the deminition bowwows" rather
| than longer submit to the intolerance
and dictation of a few rabid prohibit
ton leaders.
Thus, while Republican divisions and
animosities must in some degree &C
count for the small majority given
their candidate for Governor it is
equally true that the administration
can take little comfort from the result.
/ because It Is a plain indication that
local issues had more weight with
J the voters than loyalty to the Presi-
dent or confidence in his administra-
ton. and what happened in Maine may
happen in other States, even to the ex-
tent of losing some which are now
looked on as safely Republican. The
Republicans may be so divided on
State or local issues that they Will
discredt the administration and al
low its candidates to be defeated.
And it is well to remember that even
Cobb's small majority is not yet
certainty. Cyrus w. Davis. the defeat
ed Democratic candidate, gave out this
emphatic statement: You may say
| o1.otiov will ba