Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-13
No Reason TO Lose Confidence

No tNcaSon 10 Lose commence
TT world be foolish 10 deny that the result
III Maine is highly disappointing TO Demo-
cratic hopes. Victory was not looked for by
any save the most optimistic but a sweep
ing defeat OF this character. il must be con-
fcsscd. WAS not apprchcndcd However
there is balm in Glead. for more than one
influence contributed to this result. and
Maine. we pointed out the other day. by
no means is entitled to the reputation as Il
political barometer she enjoys i'll the minds
OF the unthinking.
First OF all. Maine is Republican State.
and only under extraordinary circumstances
Democratic triumph reasonably be OK
pccied. Occasionally She elects Democratic
Governors and Democratic Senators and Con
Gressmcn. but these departures from normal
habit due usually some controlling
local issue or to some deep split in the Re
publican ranks
In Mondays election Governor Curtis re-
tanned the vote he received two sears ago
and several thousand additional votes.
but the Republican candidates total
ce@dcd the vote cast two years ago for both
the Republican and Progressive nominees.
1t is clear, therefore. that most OF the Maine
Bull Moose have gone back to their idols. or
else that men who stayed at home in 1914
this year went TO the polls and gave their
support to AIllikcn.
Admitting all this however. the anti
Curtis vote was smaller, relatively. in 1916
than it was in 1914; Curtis obtained larger
share OF the total on last Monday than he
did TWO years ago although on the earlier
occasion The Republican split gave him
plurality and the governorship.
Milliken's majority is rather small com
pared with the average OF Republican cand-
dates in Maine. which for thirty-four years.
counting in the two Democratic victories in
that period. is around 1000. On one occa-
son the Republican majority in excess
OF $4,000 and Oh several occasions il en-
cocded 10000.
Getting down 10 Names reputation as a
political prophet. it is easily ascertaincd that
much OF that reputation is fictitious. For
example. in 1876 when Tilden was elected
to the presidency and then euchred out OF it,
the Maine guhernatoral election gave no in
dicaton OF what was impending. That year
a Republican Governor was elected by
plurality OF l5.4+% Ii it be coniended that
This presaged Democratic victory the result
OF last Monday is even more conclusive.
In 1850 Maine elected Democratic Gov
cruor-and Garfield was chosen President,
In 1881 the Republican candidate for Gov
"rnor OF Maine had a majority OF nearl:
20 00o-and Cleveland swept the country
In lSSS the Republican gubernatorial ma
jority in Maine was less than it had been in
1881 and only slightly larger than il was
in lSS6-and Harrison went into the White
House In 1892, however. the Republicans
had q lead or only l2.4S2 i'm the State
election. and that year Cleveland again was
elected President. In 1892 the total vote
cast for Governor was l3O.262 In view OF
the fact that the vote cast on Monday eX-
ccedod 10000, the Republican majority i'm
1915 was less. relatively than the Republican
majority i'll the earlier years OF Democratic
presidential triumph
In 1896. 1900. 1903 and 1905 the Repub-
LEAN sUhcrnatorial candidates won by plural
tiles OF 1926. 33,314. 2G,SlG and 7.2S3. re
spcctively. In each OF these years the Re
publicans TOOK the presidency. In 1912 the
Republican majority was yet further reduced
and Wilson won in tho presidential contest
that followed the State election.
Whatever else these figures show they in
dicate beyond question Names unrelability
as political barometer II ANYTHING 10
support political Representations can be de-
duced from the showing made, it is that when
Maine gives the Republican candidate for
Governor less than l5,000 plurality the Re
publican candidate for President had better
loon 10 his fences In this view OF the silla-
ton, Democrats Will rest content,
OMly iwO men were convicted Of speeding
on the Hermitage Road Yesterday That
thoroughiar" seems 70 be losing its popu-
ari'y #s resort Tor social recreation
rcmio-BuI@ in Peril
3""0oo Russians make up The army
which mas swept into Eastern Dobrudj ia