Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-09-03
Next MONDAYS Election.

For twenty mouths now q Democratic
administration has been in power in the
state of Maine. At the election on Mon
day next, Sept. 9th, the voters will have
a chance to say whether they wish that
administration continued.
There is no question that the Dem
ocratic administration has shown itself
Is greedy for the spoils Of victory, and
as willing to take every possible oppor-
tunity TO increase those spoils, as any
state administration Maine has ever had,
even, as in the matter of the state print
ing, disregarding the plain provisions Of
the law to continue large business in
the hands of a concern in which Demo
cratic state office holders are interested.
There has been a great flourish of
trumpets over the record of the present
administration in the matter of state
finances, Boiled down to It's simplest
form, the financial history of the state
for the past few years is this: The leg
islature of 1909 made appropriations for
large amount of permanent improve
ments, including the establishment of
home for the feeble minded, an enlarge
ment of the state house, and various
others. At the same time, it passed
measures TO provide increased revenue
for the state, but the iucseass of revenue
did not become available that year. In
consequence, the end OF the year 1910
and of the Fernald administration found
q considerable amount of unpaid bills.
These bills were largely taken care of by
the increased revenue already provided
for the year 1911. The Democratic leg
islature of 1911, by reducing appropri-
ations for the various charitable iustitu-
tioDs, providing for no permanent con-
struction whatever, and assessing for
1911 the largest direct state tax in the
history Of Maine, has enabled the admin
istration to show at the present time an
unnecessarily large amount Of money in
the state treasury. That's the situation
In nutshell, and il reflects no extraor-
binary credit on the financering of the
Democratic administration.
The one point in which the Demo
cratic administration has signally failed,
In both performance and the moral influ-
ence of its attitude, is in the matter of
law enforcement. The platform of the
Democratic state convention of 1910 de-
clared that II entrusted with power the
party would enforce the laws through the
regularly electsd officers. This promise
was repeated by the Democratic speakers
and newspapers throughout the cam
paign. While law was law, they said
1t should be enforced. 1t is a notorious
fact that Immediately after the result of
the election of 1910 was known, the fit
ting up of new places for the illegal sale
OF liquor in the Maine cities was begun,
and it is matter of general knowledge
that never have conditions with regard
to law enforcement been so bad as 10 the
past year. Before associations OF brew
ers and liquor dealers Democratic state
officials have discredited Maine and her
laws. The only Democratic official who
was making rigid enforcement of tbs
law, Sheriff Mooers Of Somerset County,
was rejected by his party, and another
man Is now opposing him as the Demo
cratic candidate, while Sheriff Mooers has
been nominated "a the candidate Of the
Republicans, on his enforcement record.
There are indications that large num-
Der of those who voted tor Plaisted two
years ago have had all they want of the
present administration, and will vote
against 1t, and that William T. Haipes, a.
clean man of proved business ability,
will be elected governor Of Maine.