Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-07
REVIEW OF THE QUESTION.
Long Wait for Decision of Governor
And Council-The Closest Contest.

Portland, Me, Nov 6-Just how
| Maine voted on the proposed repeal of
| constitutional prohibition has been a
mueh-mooted question since the 11th
| day of September, when III 900 voters
| of the state cast their ballots The re-
suit was SO close that first those ia
Voring repeal thought they had ear
ried the day. then the Prohibitionists
claimed they had won a victory and
that prohibition had been reaflirmed,
though with d plurality very much
smaller than had been predicted by
them, but il was not known until to-
night.
1t was the closest election in
Names history and probably caused
more widespread aid continued inter-
est than any state election in this
country Not only was every state in
the Union watching the State which
had become famous as the pioaeer
prohibition state, but in England,
where prayers were offered Tor the
success of the prohibition workers on
election day, and doubtless in other
countries the result of early returns
was awaited with a remarkable de-
gree of interest.
At 10 o'clock ON election night when
all hut 81 small towns out of 52l
were reported thare WAS a plurality
of 1906 for repeal, out this later fell
to $50, when all except eight small
towns and plantations were heard
from.
over night ard the next forenoon
il was discovered that the returns
from the towns of Sanford and Wells
had been reversed in transmission and
the correction of these. together with
minor errors as revealed by signed
posta! cards received from town
clerks, changed the repeal plurality
from $50 to It's. At > p. NJ. that day,
when mail returns had been received
from half of The towns, it was an
neuneed that the repeal plurality had
been overcome. From that hour the
result hung in the balance, although
thr gain for the Trohibitionists vas
steady and persistent rs first night
returns We're corrected and revised
with mail returns gathered by The
Associated Press from town clerks.
At p. NJ, the tabulation showed 2oi
against repeal
Secretary OF State Davis at mid
night that night announced from his
clerks returns a plurality of 155 Tor
repeal
1t was seen that the discrepancy in
the two tabulations was due to er-
rors on the part of town clerks in re-
porting the vote either to Augusta
or Portland and comparison was
made 1t was discovered the returns
Of Limestone, Topsfield. Bowerbank.
Salem, Matinicus and BrownViile had
been reversed.
Tie next Monday night the Cover
nor and Council opened the official re-
turns, which when tabulated. showed
plurality of &c for repeal. But it was
seen that in dozen instances the fig
ures as received by the Governor and
Council did not agree with those sent
to the secretary of state.
Twenty days were allowed for COR
reetions. At the next Council meeting
the No-License League of Maine pre-
scented applications for the correction
of the returns from Limestone. when
Westfieid and Matinicus Plantation,
subpsitting the town records and eX-
aiming the clerks Of the towns, II
allowed, it was seen that the reversing
OF tie returns of these four places,
whose total was e. for and 454 against
repeal according to correct returns.
would change the plurality from 20
for repeal to 75s against repeal or
some 400 greater than the unofficial
figures showed. because of the fact
tnat applications were not made for
correcting returns in places where the
repeal vote predominated, but was re-
yersed.
No further action was taken until
saturday, when Gov. Plaisted an
nouneed that tonight's special session
would be held to finally decide the
question.