Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-23
Eight States Hold Elections;
Constitutional Questions Are
Uppernlost Tuesday, Nov. z

little of general interest to its election
outside of the vote on the suffrage ques-
ton. No state officers are to. be elected
with the exception of three candidates to
fill vacancies on the Superior Court
bench. In general the only thing other
than the suffrage issue to attract tine
voters to the polls will be county and
municipal elections, although one Con-
gresham is to be elected to fill a va
cancy in the 2Ath district.
In Philadelphia the Republican organi-
cation has conducted a vigorous cam
paiGn to regain control OF the city adj
ministration, which was wrested from it
four years ago when the reform elements
united with the Democratic party and
elected Rudolph Blankenburg,' life
long reformer in politics, as mayor. The
Republican candidate for the mayoralty
this fall is Thomas b. Smith, former
postmaster of Philadelphia. His chief ops
ponent is George d. Porter, a reformer
who has been director of the department
of public safety in the Blankenburg adj
ministration. He resigned to make the
canvas for the mayoralty under the BAN
ner of the recently formed Franklin par
w. The Democratic party is running its
candidates on a straight party ticket
MARYLAND
Maryland will elect a governor, comp
troller of the state treasury. attorney
general, full house OF delegates and
half of the state senate. In addition four
constitutional amendments will be voted
upon, and local minor officers will be
chosen in the counties and Baltimore.
Goldsborough, Republican, are: Owing
ton E. Weller. Republican; Emerson c.
Harrington, Democrat, and George r.
Gorsuch. Prohibitionist
The Constitutional amendments are for,
the referendum, new taxation scheme,
home rule for cities, and parole in crimi7
nal cases. The referendum plan Is prac-!
tically the same as that followed in ether
states, except that the Maryland proDo-
sition includes a prohibition against the
use of the referendum in any local option
or license legislation. If the home r,le
amendment carries the legislature will
be relieved of a vast amount Of purely
local legislation. which would be vested
In the city and county councils; while
the taxation amendment provides for the
classification of all kinds of property To-,
the purpose of taxation.
OHIO.
There will be general interest in the
election in Ohio for the reason that state
wide prohibition of the liquor traffic is
an issue again this year. as it was last
in no of rrn
tional amendment which would forbid
the sale or manufacture for sale of any
alcoholic beverages The "wets" have
countered, this proposal with petitions un-
der, the initiative and referendum law by
which the people will also vote on an
other provision which would prevent the
submission of any constitutional amend
ment more than twice In six years. Chic
is the only state in the Union which will
vote this. fall upon, the, liquor issue. In
addition to the broader question Of prs
hibition the so called liquor license de-
centalization law, passed by the recent
! legislature, will be subjected to referen-
dunn. The issue concerns largely the
method Of selection of license commits
sioners. 90,
The Spra que congressional redstricting
bill passed by the recent legislature, will
also be under fire by referendum, which
was petitioned by the Democratic state
organization. The redistrcting law as
drawn would. ii is declared, result In
normal years IN the election of Re-
publican Congressman and possibly six
Democratic Congressman The Demo-
Gratis claim that the law which they
passed when in power divided the dis
tricts about evenly as between the two
parties.
All cities in Ohio will select mayors and
other municipal officers at the coming
election. but no state officers are to be
chosen this fall.
KENTUCKY "
The Kentuckians will elect a governor
for a four-year term, all other state Off
GERS, one-haif of the state senate and
an entire assembly. Democrats, Repub-
licans and Prohibitionists have candi-
dates for all the state Offices, with Re
publican and Democratic contestants for
every place on. the ballot and the Pro-
gressives are represented by candidates
for nearly all the state Offices and mum
Socialist party has only a candidate fer
governor. re
In the last presidential election the
Progressive partx in Kentucky polled APP
proximately 1900 more votes than the
Republicans but the latter claim to have
regained many of those who had left the
ranks. III
Four years ago, when Governor Nc
Creary, Democrat. was elected, his ma
jority over his Republican. opponent was
approximately $500.
Former Congressman A. 0. Stanley Of
Henderson, recently won the Democratic
gubernaterial nomination in a three
sided contest by the largest plurality
ever accorded a candidate in Kentucky.
The runner-up declared in favor of state
wide prohibition. Mr.. Stanley favored
continuing in effect the county unit law,
or local option. This stand later was in
corporated in The Democratic party plat
form. The platform also favors submits
ting to vote OF the people constitu-
tional amendment that would do away
with the prison contract system and per-
hitting the working of convicts on the
county roads.
Edwin P. Morrow, of Somerset. Is the