Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-29
MAINE PROPHETS ARE Shy
Political Outlook Is Too Hay for
Predictions.
Truce between Republican Factions On
state Ticket--Conrrcssion and
legislative Prospects--scn-
atorship ns Prize.

| Maine. Tor many years. has been pre-
| pared to announce long before State
election just what the result Of the voting
would be: but this system was upset two
years ago. when Frederick w. Plaisted
democrat was elected governor. and when
the Legislature went democratic by a
large majority says a Portland. Me-, dis
patch to the New York Evening Post
me condition this year Ia more confusing;
no one ventures to predict what will
happen.
Maine Is republican State. and the
overturn two years ago was due more
TO the alleged poor financial showing Of
the republican administration In the State
than to any of the usual issues
| The two factions Of tho republicans are
resting under flag Of truce while the
state campaign is on. and are trying to
get together and carry the state; but lust
how far this Eet-together movement can
he cffeced is a question
| Governor Plaisted has made good
financial record during his admlnIstra-
ton his appointments have been gen
orally satisfactory. and his record gen
orally shows no serious flaw. A few
'ramrodders' declare that he has failed
to enforce the prohibitory law, which
doubtless Is more or less true. but when
1t Is recalled that he has done quite as
much to enforce It as any Of his repub-
|lican predecessors with the possible
exception OF Governor Cobb who estab-
lished the Inflated. much-mal,sned
Sturg1s commission. this is not likely to
be much Of an issue. In fact. the liquor
question will figure less prominently in
Maine this fall than II has for many
years.
William T. Haines. the republican cam
didate for governor, was in politics be-
fore many of Names new voters were
born. and he never has got much out Of
1t, excepting experience. To be sure. he
has been county attorney for Kennebec
IWaterv1lle's representative in the House.
state senator. attorney-general. and men,
Der OF Governor Hills council: hut all
these ofi1ces were made incidents. For a
long time he has wanted to be governor
and he has a fighting chance. He ts n
capable business man, good LAWYER
and most people in Maine call him
bill"
THE CONGRESSIONAL. OUTLOOK
Name men do not have TO look far
back at their delegati ton in Congress
TO cause them to grieve when the-
compare those men with the present
force In Washington. Name once led
IN congress. but one rarely sees the
| names or the present members in verv
large type. To be sure. Daniel j. Nc.
Hiiilcuddy Is member Of Governor
| Wilson'S campaign cabinet. and he Is
good man for the place, for the Maine
democrats have no shrewder politician
than the famous Lewiston spellbinder
it Is probable that he will have to ie-
vote some Of his valuable time to his
own district. for the republicans hav,
nominated against him William y.
SHELTON. a former State bank examiner
a popular and clever young man. The
betting, however. is on McGrllicuddy
to win.
Asher c. Kinds the famous parlia
mentarian. Is runnrg again in the first
district and doubtless will defeat MI.
cnael T. O'Rrien, young lawyer. who
won his nomination largely by elo-
ouence Samuel w. Gould OF Skow.
hogan, who has not yet recovered from
his astonishment over defeating Con-
gresham Burleigh two years ago. is
| opposed by Forrest Goodwin Of San
ford, and Goulds surprise this year Is
likely 10 he Of different type, for Good
win not only bears a prophetic name.
but is a good man. good politician.
ana widely-known-and the third dis.
trict is normally very heavily repubn-
can. Congressman Guernsey, now the
dean Of the Maine delegation. and
with only two terms and part OF an
other to his credit. should have littlo
drf1culty in defeating his democratic
| opponent Charles W. Mullen OF Ban
ger. who Is a good man. but the fourth
district. like the third. is strongly re-
publican, and was the only district
two years ago to return the incumbent
to Congress
| The election of a democratic Legisla-
ture two years ago probably surprised no
one more than the democrats So far as
the record shows. only one man. before
election. ventured to predict such a revo-
luton. He Is IL Boston newspaper man:
the desk editor blue penciled his scoop"
and the writer was given a months leave
OF absence to allow him to take rest
cure for the mind But he would be al
| lowed now to make any kind OF pre-
| diction about Maine and his guess would
| be as good as any ones. The Legislature
| clearly Is IN doubt, and II Is a valuable
| prize. for a United States senator IS to
be elected to succeed Obadiah Gardner,
| who Is a candidate for reelection for a
full term. He was appointed by Governor
| flaisted to NIL the term of the late Sen
| ator Frye. Mr.. Gardner has for his re-
publican opponent ex-Congressman Edwin
t. Burleigh. who WAS nominated in the
FIRST State primary ever held here, and
who perhaps Is the best politician Maine
has had since Blaine. Mr.. Burleigh would
| ike very much to round out his career
| IN the Senate and he knows how to get
| ont votes.
DEMOCRATIC HOPES FOR NOvEM-
Der
| Representatives Of all parties-except-
ing OF course, the Bull Moosc-are in
clined to avoid discussing the national
campaign. regarding 1t az a bridge to be
crossed when they come to It. But the
nag OF truce between the republicans and
the progressives will he destroyed soon
after the State election, II. indeed, any
thing remains OF It for so long. for the
Bull Moose IL restless. and he Is surpr1s-
'ngly strong here. considering the natur-
ally regular habits and politics OF the
people Of Maine. just how he ever got
into the State is something OF a problem
put how he captured the State conven-
non AT Bangor Is easily explained In IA
Few words bv out. ~ the nr,mipapt ranuh-