New-York tribune., 1908-09-07
NAME ELECTION NEAR
FOCAL ISSUES LEAD.
n,nocrats Hare Chance-Tdft Ma
,rsts ETpected To Be Ocer go, 900.

s-sser Of : century the Democrats have fight
sAsucs Of osrrg-ing the state. Although IL is q
-rseutial year the voters do not seem 70 care
y f~,,s sbeut the tariff other matters of a na-
-, character but zre interested almost entirely
p s,s,rssion CT state issues. There is no do,1h.
re-znal conditions that the state OF Maine is
-, Republican,. and II is predicted that the
- for Taft and sherman at the November
s.rspr wig be over 2e.oeo
=. paramount issue il this campaign is the pro-
s.,o-r liquor Law. which for many wears has
= mixed UP in the politics OF this state The
- Of ths s9-called Sturgis act by the Iegts-
j - Of aee- which gave the Governor the power
i ..-s seEaIties into county 10 enforce the law
ss,. 4, was found thar the Sheriff of that county
= ser,ijct n his duty. has stirred up hornets-
= IN 4ne counties Of the state where the enforce
-. deputes have appeared. and il is expected that
- rr5es VIII show substantial Democratic gains
\ -~ the vote two wears ago. when all but one of
a. seurtsez cities in the state renouneed the Re
+ wssezr party. Hitherto the rural vote Of Maine
:. hen oEerwhelrnngsy Republican but this wear
+ = nerocrstie leaders contend that the co,ntr,
oks hetter 10 them than the cities. IT is pecuI-
\ a. condition because liquor as rule has not been
ss As freely II the rural towns as in the cities
A,re uutf within few years il was as wide open
4 !. under license conditions.
/ Besides declaring for the resubusissisr Of the
ohsha,s-v leuor law the people and the res.asl
~ the so-eaIed S1urgis las, the Democratic Mat
| Torn advocates the abolition Of the state lauer
srrncy system. tax reform. economy in public ex-
,s,srurex the rebuaing OF Official dishonesty aboI
| s,,an of bribery Rt caucuses and elections r-ona-
ss5slssiea ne interest Of labor. right of the
za,rs u govern strict adherence 10 The rs-i--rlss
A az local sef-sovernaaent and resistance 10 anv
chanee IN the constitution or laws which seeks TO
Substitute arbitrary power for the will Of the people
eny and legally expressed al the polls
or the ether hand tlle Republicans ,,nrese-zesIv
declare for prohibition IN their platform They
demand the faithful and impartial enforcement
cf the prohi6toTy hcuer LAW. and declare that
Trey eppasee to resabTnsson OF any measure
isn6ing 70 the repeai OF the law which has done
% much to promote the moral and material vel
tsrs Of the people Of this staUe'' They also de-
ee-e in fsver OF 3 law giving the Governor N.
eoseF sheriff Il he fails TO do his duty
me enforcement OF the prohibitery law. for tax
ssfoTr strict enforcement OF the school and
chld labor iaE and ffty-eight-hour week for
ssnen Rn6 children employed II factories and
porkshops
The only mention OF national affairs and the
National ticket in The Democratic state platform is
n ne opening and closing paragraphs where il
Is stated that the Democratic party Of Maine ac-
ospts the national Platform Of its party suf-
fesnt declaration Of national issues and pledges
70 fHs Democratic nominee for President and Vice
President our earnest and undivided support"
DEMOCRATS WITHOUT AID.
As IN the case Of Vermont the Democrats of
Maine unable TO get any assistance from
the national committee. Nr Bryan and Norman
z Mack, Of Buffalo. the chairman Of the Demo
cratic National Committee took the ground that
L the national committee Eent into the Maine
osmpzisn snd The Republican vote stood up the
Republicans would have the laugh on them. Be
si1es In the case Of Maine IL was reasoned that
state and nor national issues were paramount and
that the easiest course 10 pursue would be to keep
out Of the Pine Tree State contest AS result +
one ssidon hears the name Of Bryan mentioned /
the stump, except in Congressional district con 4
tests where the cand dates necessarily have to dis
CUES national issues
Although the state is ali worked up over the /
prohibito-y liuuor law the Republican speIIb8nders
and the Republican press are laying stress the 4
fact that vote for Fernald. the Republican can /
eidate for Governor Eill assist in getting bigger
for Tat n the national election
In Presidential years il has always been consid- /
cred essential by the Republican campaign man |
ayers that the plursliiies in Maine and Vermont.
the only states that hold September elections,
should be maintained
With this enc n view he Republican National 4
Committee has sent into Maine several speakers 4
rho active Z the Vermont campaign Il is /
slse SAID that the national committee sent liberal
contribution. glance me vote In previous cleo
fiOns. however. does not bear out the theory that
Maine IN September so goes the Union in .
SoTenbeI
a Nla1Eeu
known business and president OF the Christian
Civic League Of Maine pointed this out in his an
ncuneerent that although . lifelong Republican
ht would vote for Obadiah Gardner. the Democratic
nominee for Governor THIS theory was exploded 4
as far back 1s9 In that year Harris NJ PiaisJed,
Of Bangor. the nominee OF the Democrats and (
Gresnhsckers was elected Governor fn September,
and NJ Garfield was elected President in Novem- /
Der Since 1880 the Republicans have carried the 1
state generally by large majorties. and twice they
szEe been defeated in November by a Democratic 4
csraidsts for President, M Cleveland being elect
&c over Blaine 10 1854 and over Benjamin Harrison
II In
On the contrary" Mr Miiliken says Il rather
sh1k that 2 defeat in September might have the
e1ec % spur our people TO make a harder fight
sao EtrUggie in November IN other states Re that
AZ Il may, state politics must stand
rs oEn bottom. and national politics VIII take care
q lstf But think that the voters in other states
VII make I'D their minds whom they desire for
resident regardless 5f what is the attitude Of the
sste of Maine
Tie Republicans have had large list Of speak
as ano every nook and corner of the state has
ot%n covered nevsT before in the history Of
sane politics Among the men from abroad VINO
-aFt taken the stump here are Senators William
Z Z 5orahs of Idaho. and Senator julius c. Burrows
u Michigan; Leslie Il. Shaw Secretary Of Agri-
7lt1are Wilson. John Kendrick Bangs, the author,
saose summer home is in York County: Edward
rsssan Brown, CT the heutenants Of Governor
hughes q New York; Congressman Henry s
S'-tNel u Illinois. Congressman David J. Foster.
: : -Nes Hampshire. Guy A Ham. Of Boston; I
!. DeNey q Ohio; George 2. Chandler and Charles
: !, ssircheid of New York. and Ralph d. Cole, OF
'n'o Eugene Hale the senior Senator from Maine.
: s-so scheduled 10 make number Of speeches
1hs e Congress District which was represented
- many years by Congressman Charles z Little
- o. Rocklsnd. and before him by Nelson Ding
- ne Father OF the Dlngley tariff Law. is the only
- "nica the Democrats really hope or expect 20
~ II mis- district the vote IL 1905 was as fol-
'sa Charles z LttleseIc fR@pb. 1s.7es; Daniel
: : hcca lic1c1y tDe1zs. 1z.2s5: sczttsrtlg. Te4
.~ea gaze Gr. L1rtle6elS - majority over al of