The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-03-19
The Political Panorama.

The Political Panorama.
Notes and Comments ON the City Election.
An examination Of the ballots cast in the
city election March 9th was made Thursday
evening. March 18th. by request of Mayor
Hanson, and resulted in the declaring Of two
additional votes for ,Mayor-elect R. +. Dunton.
making the official vote 15 majority instead of
Is. Is at first declared. Mr.. Dunton gained in
Ward and one in Ward s, by the recount, and
Mr.. Hanson gained four in Ward 2 The Off
cial count was at first given out % IL major
ity, then later amended to Is. and now stands
Is. The ballots are in the custody Of city clerk
Eben F. Littlefield. who did the counting, ex-
amining the ballots with others looking on.
Mayor Hanson and Mr.. Dunton were both
present and when the result was arrived at the
former flung out of the door without word.
What the mayor expected to accomplish is a
matter of conjecture. although one report wss
that he expected by reducing Mr.. Dunton's
majority to benefit by the ''mora" effect.
Some of his followers, and probably the mayor,
expected more than that, believing that if any
grounds were found for taking the matter to
the courts he would hold over until they had
rendered a decision. Indeed, q remark was
heard on the street that he (Hanson) twill
have it six months longer, any way" But that
would be contrary to law and precedent. The
city officials declared elected would be sworn
in as usual and if an appeal was made to the
courts would continue to serve until an adverse
decision was reached. In the present case
there is no ground for contest.
Another of the mayors ''artful dodgers'
appeared on the streets last week. IN which he
delared that "the report being circulated that
he is ready to bow to the ring and support Mr..
Pattangall is absolutely untrue" The mayor
has worked the ring and Pattangall racket
long enough. Weeks before our city election
Mr.. Pattangall announced that he would not
be candidate for Congress this year, and
later report is that he will not be candidate
for any elective office. He had nothing what
ever to do with our local affairs; but "sus-
picion always haunts the guilty mind" and the
mayor saw Pattangall everywhere. even at his
Saturday night meeting, as the forerunner OF
libel suit As stated last week the Democrats
wanted to be relieved from all responsibility
for Hanson at least two years ago. They real
lied that his speech in the Senate. in which he
attacked the dead as well as the living, did
them incalculable harm-some believing that
it defeated Gov. Plaisted's re-election-and
Hanson's bolt last September had nothing to
do with the case.'
It is now in order for the ex-Mayor to send
out f1ier or dodger-the latter seems the
more appropriate word-denying that he made
overtures to the Democrats to return to the
fold if they would have new city committee
In substance the reply he is said to have re-
ceived is, "nothing doing" Yet the Lewiston
correspondent of the Bangor Commercial
writes;
| It is even whispered, although the fact
seems incredible, that Hon. Edgar F. Hanson
| of Belfast, who was defeated for mayor OF his
city last Monday and who opposed Mr.. Pattan-
| gall in the last election, will be with the Dem
ocratic party this fall Reports from the
| Hanson is sorry that he bolted the ticket and
is willing to return to the fold If he can do II
gracefully. OF course such matter seems
Unbelievable but it is one of the morsels of po.
| litical gossip which has been floating arounc
the capital city during the past week.
| A Massachusetts subscriber writes: Il wish
| to extend congratulations to the city OF Bel
fast that God has delivered her out of the
hand of the Philistine. also wish to extene
| 70 ho adi of
that he has lived to see the day that Belfast
should vindicate itself. by the vote of her citi
zens. She can now take her place on eartt
once more and begin to look up
A Belfast resident, wintering at Fruitlant
Park. Fla, sends the following post card mes
sage: "Heard the glorious news through the
Washington, D. C. subscriber writes undel
date of March 11th: II am glad to notice in th'
papers that the city has gotten rid of Mr. Han
son for year at least, if not permanently"
The papers say that Mr.. Dunton "claims'
1883 votes and plurality of IA. while Mr.
| hanson 'dUulltS uiS uSASoS " SiA ~osSoS S.'s
is talking about recount in the hope OF wip
ing out that majority. Why, after election
the press should give us claims and admission
in the place of the actual official vote, we d.
not understand; but Belfast always did thing
in peculiar way in politics. There appear t
be no doubt that Mr.. Hanson has met his politi
cal Waterloo, no matter whether he is counte,
in or out. He may "come back. but tn
chances are against it.-Rockland Opinion.
There was nothing peculiar" in this case 81
far as Belfast is concerned. The votes wer
counted as required by law and the resul
officially announced. The press despatche
were sent by one of Hanson's followers. whicl
accounts for their peculiar" wording. Tn
Opinion is wrong in saying that Hanson ha
"eenerally run on q citizens ticket" He ha
run as a Democrat, to the disgust Of many il
that party.
The Boston Herald is publishing series o
Vest Pocket Essays by George Fitch, author o
.At Good Old Siwash," and the essay on Elo
ouence in the issue Of March 18th is though
by many to apply very aptly to our city elec
ton. We quote the following paragraphs:
An eloquent man can say Good Morning
| in a way that would sprout orange trees il
Dakota and can cause an audience to rise e
its feet and shout wildly by describing tn
principles of dry farming. All over the worl'
men willingly endure the horrors of banquet
..ao, - l;s%on Of IN snoa kerS Wht