The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1913-09-12

Winner-LittIe Change From Demo,
cratic Figures of Last November
Heavy Artillery From Other States
Took Active Part In Great Fight
Third District Vote, 1913
Peters, Rep. .................15, LOG
Pattangall, Dem. ............14 553
Lawrence, Pro. .............. 6,487
Vote In November
| Taft, Rep. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ,159
| Wilson, Dem. IA 692
| Roosevelt. Pro. 10 ,236
In the special congressional cleo
ton in the Third Maine district John
A. Peters of Ellsworth, the Republi-
can speaker of the Maine house of
| representatives, had plurality of 553
over William R. PattangaIl of Water
vile, the Democratic candidate.
Democratic national leaders had
hoped for an Endorsement of the
present administration through Pat
tangall's election. Peters vote was
S619 greater than that polled for Ed
ward NJ. Lawrence of Lubec, the
Progressive standard bearer, to whose
success the Progressives looked to
establish their party as the chief RI
val of Democracy in Maine.
The returns indicate that more than
half of the Progressive votes returned,
temporarily at least, to the Republi-
can fold, and the Democrats have not
rebuked the Wilson administration,
ton from the Democratic figures of
last November.
The Progressive vote showed a fall
ing off of about so percent from what
Theodore Roosevelt received in No
vember. This was believed to have
been due to the lack Of impetus which
Roosevelts personality gave to the
Progressive cause, and also to the
fact that many Republicans have been
convinced that the Republican party
in Maine is now progressive. The
combined anti Democratic vote of the
Republicans and Progressives gave
plurality against Pattangall of rising
$500.
The Peters vote was 1OS percent
greater than the Taft vote, while the
Pattangall and Wilson vote did not
vary more than a score of votes.
Pattangall carried his own county
Of Kennebec by about 1000 plurality,
but he ran behind in Hancock, Som
erset and Waldo counties and appar-
emily in Washington county. These
are the five counties in the district.
National aspect was lent to the cam
paign by the interest taken in the
candidacy of Pattangall by the Demo-
cratic administration. Copies of a
personal letter from the president
advocating the election of the Demo-
cratic candidate were widely circu-
lated throughout the district, and two
members of the cabinet, Secretaries
Bryan and Redfield, and Speaker
Clark came to the state and spoke at
a number of meetings.
They were assisted by a number OF
members of congress at different
times. Never in the history OF the
state has a national administration
taken so close a personal interest in
a campaign for a congressman.
The Republicans had eight or ten
members of congress in the district,
although none of such prominence as
the speakers sent here by the Demo-
Gratis. The tariff was made a big is
sue between the two parties, the
Democrats arguing in favor OF the
tariff law and the Repubn- |
cans urging that il was inimical TO |
Maine interests.
The Progressives made no less
strenuous a fight, and the national
leaders of the party addressed meet
ing throughout the district. The
speakers included Con-
gresham Murdoch, former Senator
Beveridge and former Secretary Gar
field. The Progressives fought for
Of their party, but they
made a common cause with the Re-
1ublicans in calling for a condemna-
ion Of the Democratic tariff policy.
As against the Progressives. the
Republicans urged that their own
Darty was progressive in sentiment.
md that it stood for practically the
anne things that the Progressive party
i'd.