The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-11
Republicans Are Confident
of Carrying the State
80
DEMOCRATS W, ", active
Contest WI -enter Upon Governor
ship and Democrats Hope to Elect
Their Candidate BY n Fair
Iy Good Margin

Augusta, Me-, September 1o.-(Special)
Not for a generation has so fierce
political battle been fought in Maine as
that which practically came to a finish
tonight.
And it has been a great many years
since there has been so great doubt
what the result will be when the votes
are counted Monday night
The republicans claim that they will
elect Governor Fernald by a safe, though
perhaps reduced majority, and will re-
turn an unbroken republican delegation
to Congress.
The democrats are jubilantly claiming
the election of Col. Fred L. Plaistead as
governor, and will most likely capture
the First and Second congressional dis
tricts.
The wise outsider refrains from MAX
ing a prophecy, but is inclined to regard
the claims to be most likely to be borne
out when the returns are in.
For 80 years Maine has been so stead
fastly republican that politicians ceased
to be uneasy about its vote one way or
great changes have taken place in Maine
and voting constituency. The republican
machine here has also been subjected to
the same internal upheavals and change
of public sentiment which at present are
causing SO much commotion In the re-
publican ranks throughout the country.
insurgency" is not as intense or pow
erful in Maine as in many other states
but the causes which have produced it
elsewhere are actively felt here. Together
with dissensions and counter currents
in the republican fold, it has been strong
enough to force the retirement of so lon.,
potent a political autocrat as Senator
Hale. With these forces and others
at work, the election Monday undoubted-
ly will have a national Importance that
Maine elections have lacked for nearly
generation. This election result may
be the forerunner of what may be ex-
pected at the November elections In other
states.
Big Majorftics Reduced
A study of election returns shows that
once great republican pluralities have
been gradually dissipated and the last
two years have dwindled to a perlous
edge. From 1884 TO 1892 the republican
pluralities from 1900 1000 in total av-
erage vote of about 10000. In 1894 the
year when the great reaction against
President Cleveland's administration be-
gan, the republican plurality was 30,S17
in total vote of 1921 Two years later
the republicans reached their high water
vote, with plurality of 1926 in a total
vote of 1886. Then began a gradual
recession. In 1886 a remarkable falling
Off set In, when the republican plurality
for governor was S644 in a total vote OF
1907 100. Two years ago, In 1908, 1t fell
still lower, and in proportion to the whole
vote the loss was still greater. In a total
vote of 1S9,S19 the republican plurality
for governor was only 1868.
The issues which are having this effect
are mixed. They are partly state issues
and partly national. In Maine, probably
more than anywhere else state issues,
even in campaign where congressman
are elected, assume an Importance, this
Is becuase Maine has long been a prohi-
bition state, yet the, prohibition question
Is as burning a question as ever. The
organization is making it a political is
sue and 1t Is likely it will have a very
considerable effect on the election, but
for curious reason which does not ap-
pear on the surface.
Plan to Enforce Law
Five years ago the republicans devised
a plan of enforcing the law over the
heads of the local official act, creating
state enforcement commission with
power to send It's deputies to any part
of the state. This law, the republicans
argued, would put a stop to liquor SELL
ing. But not only has it not done this,
but it has served to irritate a large num-
beI of surreptitious liquor sellers who
have heretofore been warm workers for
the republicans. How large factor these
Illicit liquor sellers may be judged from
the fact that there are several thousands
arrested In Maine yearly for selling IL
quor, and that these arrests are only a
fraction of the total amount of LIQUOR
selling going on.
These Illicit liquor dealers are all more
or less mixed up In the subterranean
channel and exert a strong Influence.
This enforcement act forms one of the
chief issues of the democrats They as
sert that prohibition Is nil in Maine that
dives multiplied, that arrests have in
creased, that social drinking clugs have
sprung up, that liquor expresses have
multiplied, that the right of city, town
and county to its own police regulation
has been taken away, and that only
one county has SO far consented to pay
the expenses of the enforcement COM
mission. all of the other counties refus-
ing.
The insurgent movement against the
Payne Adrich tariff law also is playing
big part in the campaign
| The present outlook is that the repub-
| licans are very near defeat II they win
| 1t will be by the shadow of plurality.
The claim of the democrats that they
will elect their gubernatorial ticket and
possibly more of their candidates seems
to have much basis