The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-12
Night Before Battle
Finds Both Parties
Confident.
MUCH DEPENDS
ON RURAL VOTE
Pointing to Gross Extravagances
Of Republican Administration,
Democrats Declare People
Will Not Vote for Change.
y. Bitter ContestinS South
Carolina.

Portland. Me-, September 1.-THE
night before the battle OF the ballots
in Names biennial election finds both
Republicans and Democrats confident
OF the verdict, and satisfied that the
10000 voters understand the issues.
There are four tickets In the field,
the candidates for Governor being: Re-
publican. Bert M. Fernald. OF Poland;
Democrat, Frederick w. Plaisted. OF
Augusta; Socialist, Robert v. Hunter,
OF Freeport, and Prohibitionist, James
IA. Ames. OF Bowdoinham.
AS the Socialists and Prohibitionists
poll very small vote in Maine, the
struggle here, as in other States. IS
between the principal national parties.
The Republicans believe that there
Is sufficient party loyalty to seat Gov
ernor Fernald for a second term. as
we'll as TO elect the party candidates
in the four congressional districts, and
that there will be no change in the
complexion OF the Legislature chosen
10 select successor OF United States
Senator Eugene Haie-
Democrats Confident
On the other nand. the Democrats de-
clare that while there are no national
issues at stake, the Republican admin
istration has been SO extravagant that
Mayor Frederick w. PIaisted, of Au-
gusta, will be placed in the seat once
occupied by his father. Paris VI. Plais-
ted, the Fusion Governor of 1881. The
Democrats also are confident of the
ability Of Daniel r. McGill McCuddy.
o. lewiston. to defeat Congressman
John p. Swasey, of Canton, in the Sec
ond District, and say that former Sher-
III William NJ. PenneIl Will give Asher
jC. Kinds. of Portland, considerab BILE
trouble IN the First District, notwith-
standing the latter,.s experience in ma
tIonal affairs as the House parliament
tary clerk Some OF the more opt!nis-
7 Tic Democratic leaders go still further
and predict a Democratic Legislature.
Much VIII depend tomorrow on the
size Of the rural vote. governed largely
by the weather and the interest in the
party candidates. TIE total vote in
i26000. amounting TO li6S02 in the
fusion year of 1880, and falling TO $500
In 1898. when Governor Powers was
elected for a second term.
II is also interesting to note that
there has been a gradual increase OF
the Democratic vote within the past
ten years, and a corresponding falling
off in the Republican pluralities The
plurality of 1883 given Governor Fer
nald in 1908 was the smallest In twenty
years. although Governor Cobb. in 1896.
had only s,064 for margin.
Bitter Contest in South Carolica.
Columbia, s. c. September ll.--SGuth
Carolina Democrats on Tuesday VIII
make their final choice for Governor.
sioner and Congressman in two dis
tricts. The voting constitutes the sec
ond primary, made necessary wneu
there are more than two candidates
for one office and no one 0f them re-
ceives majority.
Chief interest in this second pri-
mary. naturally centres in the con,esy
for Governor between c. c. feather
stone, OF Laurens, and Colonel L. Blease,
OF Newberry. Mr.. Featherstone entered
the campaign as the champion of the,
Statewide Prohibitionists. while MI.
Blease ran on a local option platform.
Since G. G. McLead, another local op-
tion candidate, was eliminated at the
first primary, 1t has been maintained
by leading newspapers of the local op-
tlOH persuasion tlldI the Issue Is no
longer one Of measures but a question
OF personal fitness as between Mr..
Featherstone and Mr. Blease. Support
ing this view, several of the prohibition
leaders OF the State have come out with
admissions that the Statewide prohi-
bitton cause was practically defeated
at the first primary.
Since the first primary the campaign
has been bitterly contested, with ad-
herents of both candidates working
hard The press Of the State. with
two exceptions is supporting Mr.
Featherstone and attacking Mr.. Blease
Predictions on the outcome are futile.
For Adjutant-G General, w. w. Moore.
of Barnwell. and j. NJ. Richardson ara
in the second race, While James Cansler
and G. McDuffie Hampton, Of Columbia,
are in the fight for Railroad Com
missioner.
In two congressional districts-the
Second and the sixth-there are second
races. In the Second District, J. o,
Patterson, incumbent, Of Bartwen, and
y, r. Byrnes, of Aiken, are In the
second race. In the Fifth District, ],
r. Ellerbe. incumbent, and p. a.
l1<Jr NHS,~I 4Ia,1