The sun., 1916-09-10
PROGRESSIVE VOTE
WATCHED IN MAINE
Republicans Believe Election
Will Show Trend Of Re-
turn to Ranks.

Chairman Wilcox and his associates
at Republican headquarters nero are con-
WINGED the Republicans are going to win
the Maine election on Monday. They ad-
nit the possibility Of the Democrats
picking up m Representative in Con-
sress. but that Is all. Reports yesterday
from Chairman Cole OF the speakers bu-
reau and others all declared the battle to
DO won.
With the Maine election marking the
close Of the preliminary stage Of Tho Ia
.ional campaign. the interest OF the Re-
publican managers centres chiefly in the
indication the election figures will at
ford Of the way in which the Pro-
gressives and Independents throughout
the country are to line up in November.
This is the big problem in this cam
paign. So important Is II regarded iaat
on Tuesday. with the Maine figures at
hand. there will be a conference vii
Col. Roosevelt at Oyster Bay. at which
Frank II. Hitchcock. George w. Perkins
and others will 60 over the Maine figures
and try TO apply them TO the situation
In other pivotal States.
Republicans n Progressive members
OF tina campaign committee have been
making preliminary tests which have
convinced them that. the Democrats will
come nowhere ear getting the 25 per
cent. OF the Bull Moose vote Of 1919
which they have asserted would elect
Wilson. The Democrats will be lucky,
they say. II they capture more than half
this number OF votes.
P~rsGPessives Retarn.
The point the Republicans and Hughes
TrOgressives maxi Ia that in h last few
years most OF the Progressives have gone
back to the two older parties and that
an analysis Of the election figures Of
h last two years will show that the
Republicans got the most OF them. Only
In Massachusetts was there anything
like a fair division. and in that State
| the figures would indicate that Of the
Progressive vote OF four years ago the
Republicans last year got IS per cent,
while the Democrats got AZ per cent.
Republicans and Hughes PrOyrcssives
are pointing to the $3.50 votes cast In
Massachusetts last year for the Progress
sive candidate for Governor as giving a
fair idea OF the strength OF Matthew
Hale. McCormick's most important cap
ture among the Progressive leaders. In
der Hale's leadership, they assert. 1875, 900
voters left the party between 1912 and
1915. In California Francis J. Hensy,
whose capture Is another Democratic
boast. the Republicans point out, two
years ago ran 200 900 votes behind his
ticket, headed by Johnson. This condi-
ton. say the Republican managers. OBJ.
tains with respect to every State repre-
scented on the Democratic campaign com :
mittee by a Progressive leader. these
States being New York. Massachusetts,
Indiana. New Jersey. Missouri. Califor-
MIA and Washington.
Senator Lawrence y. Sherman, a
caller at Republican headquarters yes
terday. said President Wilson seemed ia
persist in Ignoring how he was elected
four years ago: that he carried not a
single State outside Of the South on his
own strength. but won all the Others
merely through the division OF the Re-
publican vote. "Mr. Wilson," said the
Senator. "errs In saying. as no does,
that the Republican party was put out
Of power because Of failure. The divi-
sion grew out of a fractional contest and
the essential principles of the Repub-
lean party were the faith of both fac
lions now united"