The Hattiesburg news., 1914-08-06
FIRST REAL TEST OF
WILSON'S STRENGTH
MAINE ELECTION WILL INDICATE
SENTIMENT TOWARD Ap.
MINlsTRATloN.

which indicates the direction of the DO
litical wind in the coming elections
will be first in the state Of Maine. Tht
earliest indication of the sentiment Of
the country toward the present Demo
cratic administration at Washington
will be received from the State on the
fourteenth day Of next month, on
which date the regular election OF
State officers, representatives in Con
gress and legislative and county off
cials will be held. Scarcely less i'm
portant than the test Of the popularity
OF the Democratic administration will
be the test Of the virility and longevi.
ty Of the Progressive party.
Governor William T. Haines, who
was elected on the Republican ticket
two years ago, is candidate for re-
election. His Democratic opponent is
Oakley G. Curtis, the present mayor
Of Portland The ticket of the Pro
gressive party, the first they have had
in this state, is headed by Harold
Gardner for governor.
In his campaign for reelection Gov
ernor Haines finds himself deeply in
volved in the agitation over the liquor
traffic. Mr.. Gardner, the Progressive
candidate, has been pursuing him from
stump to stump with charges of bad
faith as to the Governors claim that
he is doing his best to enforce the pro-
hibition law. Governor Haines has
claimed credit for the removal of those
sheriffs who were multiplying the pro-
hibitory law by allowing it to be fol-
lowed at will. Mr.. Gardner denies
credit to the Governor for the removal
of these men by asserting the method
of removing them by the Legislature
was not the Governors idea at all,
and that if the method which the
Governor recommended of dealing
with these men had been adopted,
they could not have been removed.
Liquor Question Involved.
Though the liquor question con-
tinues to permeate the campaign in
every county and district as it has
done in the State of Maine for many
years, there are national questions
that are figuring to a considerable
extent as issues in the contest. The
Democratic tariff which has admitted
potatoes to this country from Canada
free of duty is not to the liking of
the voters in Aroostook County, where
more potatoes are raised than in any
other locality in the country. The
Republican and Progressive speakers
have endeavored to make the most
OF this issue, but the Democrats have
come back with the reply that no mat
ter how many barrels of potatoes have
come across the border potatoes are,
nevertheless. just as high as they ever
were. and Maine farmers are getting
just as much for them as they ever
received.
The question of free tolls for Ameri-
can ships in the Panama canal is also
an issue in the present campaign.
For years Maine has been a great
ship-building State, and she is much
interested in the coastwise trade.
There are indications of some very
close contests in the congressional
districts. All of the present repre-
sentatives, three Republicans and one
Democrat, are candidates for re-elec-
ton. Much interest centers in the
Second district, now represented by
Daniel J. McGillicuddy, Democrat.
Ordinarily, it is believed, Congressman
McGillicuddy would have an easy re-
election. but his vote on the toll ques-
tion and certain dissensions among
the Democrats of his district, have
given his opponents considerable hope.
Alden ]. Wheeler, an active and able
campaigner, is opposing him on the
Progressive ticket. The Republican
7andidate is Harold Sewell, son OF
the late Arthur Sewell, who was the
Democratic candidate for Vice Presi
dent in 1896 with Bryan. Tho son lo
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