Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-06-03
Country Watching Maine.

4 "A
looks in Washington we give the fol
lowing excerpt from the letter OF
| Washington correspondents;
Maine must apparently now have
| a Congressional campaign that ih'
| country will watch with interest. WITT
the sad taking off of Representative
Goodwin in the Third district, spe-
cial election must be had TO choose ms
successor. Washington assumes thd'
that special election will be heio
sometime this autumn. perhaps IN
September or November A new man
could hardly get here 10 be OF mach
service at the present extra session
and. in any event. his vote would no.
be important because of the over
whelming Democratic majority In the
House.
But this special election Will give
Maine voters an opportunity TO say
what they think about the Underwood
tariff bill. 1t is now before the Sen
ate and by the time the special cleo
ton is held will probably be law oil
the land. 1t has been charged that no
state in the Union has been more ua=
favorahly treated than Maine under
this law. Senator Johnson is dong
what he can to correct that status nut
he is only one Democrat against many,
who are more or less indifferent as to
what happens in the Pine Tree State
las the Third Maine district went
Democratic three years ago and then
Republican a year ago. 1t may reason
ably he elassed as close. That Is an
other reason why the country will be
interested in the verdict and will take
a cue therefrom as to what the YER
dict of the country will be in the Con-
gressional elections a year later. he
publicans are hopeful that the country
will return majority in the House
in their favor and that the 64th Con
gress will be Republican in its popular
branch. Consequently If the Ihlfa
Maine district sends a Republican III
place of Forrest Goodwin, the Repuo-
licans will cheer up materially and 90
into the campaign with renewed as
surance not only that they can regain
control of the House (and possibly OF
the senate) but that there is good
fighting chance of winning the Presl-
dency in 1916.
There was test in special Con-
gressonal election in Massachusetts
some weeks ago in which the Demo-
Gratis won but it was not altogether a
fair test of tariff sentiment for several
Maine will afford better
And the pebble of truth that shakes
to the top in the sand of speculation,
is that if Maine Progressives continue
to be misled Ly Democracy's shrewd
politicians into aiding the tariff and
liquor interest enemies of Maine, they
may have the satisfaction of biting off
their noses to spite their faces. There
is the whole thing in nut shell-the
country is watching to see if those
who believe in protection of Maine
farmers and industries, and moral
progress, will stand together at the
critical moment, or if a part of them
in their SNUG assumption of higher
order of purity will do their best to
elect man who stands publicly and
brazenly opposed to sall the best that
profess.
Now is the time to classify the
enemies and friends of the Pine Tree
State. The worst of the former will
be the one who, under pretense OF
high purpose, goes ahead to square old
political scores, and cares not the cost
to the State.