The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-09-11

Maine Not the Key to the National
Situation-Need Of Reform in Election
Dates.
There should be a cessation Of some
delusions in politics. There hardly, how
ever. will be so long as professional poll
tieians are the least reflective, the most
superstitious and the least progressive
men in public lie. Among the delusions
which should be dissipated Is the one
that the Vermont or the Maine elections
Tor state officers are, or ever were, eiIec-
tive to produce any result on national
contests in modern times, These state
elections have been affected by national
conditions, but In those Interchangeable
states they have not themselves affected
those conditions, at large.
The distinction can be easily made,
Maine and Vermont have never gone
Democratic on the presidency since the
Republican party first contested the ma.
ton in 1856. Both have always gone
Republican. Both have little reduced
their Republicanism, the few times the
Democracy have carried the country.
Both have felt the Democratic drift OF
the country, but that drift has never Sc.
riously affected them, aud they have
never at all affected that drift.
The contrary 10 this has been assert.
ed by those making their living out OF
politics, hat the assertion has been an
interested and not an intelligent one.
IL is also a fact that when Vermont or
Maine has shown slightly decreased
Republican vote, the national politicians
of both parties have been absurdly con.
cerned, the Democrats being stirred TO
fallacious hope and the Republicans TO
ridiculous alarm.
That was also the ease when Connect.
cut and New Hampshire voted before
November Since ante November state
elections were done away in those states,
the area OF irrational apprehension mas
been reduced II is now limited to Maine
and Vermont alone It was formerly
affected by midsummer or early autumn
state elections in Alabama, Kentucky,
Arkansas and in one or two other states,
especially in the cases OF Indiana, Penn
sylyania and Ohio. The Vermont and
Maine state elections are now significant
OF those states alone and not OF the
nation at all.
We are aware that these propositions
cross the habit Of political expression
and Of political thinking. Tae current
habit, however, is preposterously wrong
and can well be crossed Vermont has
Just gone Overwhelmingly Republican,
yet Mr.. Bryan may be elected. Maine
for local reasons may soon by Republi
can by reduced vote, yet Mr.. Taft may,
and prob Nv will. be elected to the presi-
dency Either result will sustain no
relation whatever Of cause or Of effect TO
thea state expression of either common.
wealfb, this fall
We neticeRthat Mr.. Taft Is reported
to be eencourhgsds. BY the result in
Vermont, and thu. aean Mr. Norman r. |
Mack, the Democfatie National chairman,
i not discouraged bs II, Both do well
enough 10 eelap svU6t is said to them, and |
others 70 easS their echoes; but the |
1ptimiaHN6f Mr.. Taft and the Mark Tap
etfsm Of Mr. Norman Z. Mack are Of
no Importance whatever in themselves.
The people Of the United States, outside
If Maine and Vermont, will vote, in No.
1ember, without regard to the existence
II Maine and Vermont and without re- |
gard to the expression OF Vermont and /
Maine on solely state issues.
Many years ago, nearly all the states
Except Vermont and Maine, put forward |
heir state elections till November on
purpose to escape the scandal, expense
md labor of multiplied elections at vary
ng times Not few states have DELHI.
,rately set their state elections and
heir elections in cities in other than
residential years so as TO free them
rom national complications. Eventual
y all the states will do so, when civil
ization is completely established. The
endency of perfecting civilization Is
oward separating years Of state and
elections from years Of nation.
! decision. National thinking cannot be
divorced from local matters, but state
nd municipal issues can be separated
rom years Of national decision
We may not expect the politicians and
this year, to separate state
lections for state purposes from nation
/ thinking on national purposes; but we
o know that the people make the sepa
alton, and eventually the politicians and
andidates will grow up to the sense of
Ding so themselves. Brooklyn Eagle,
nd Dem.