The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-09-27
Three facts stand out n this re.

ular Democrat In a district normally
Democratic, and one in which there
was large number of Government
employed labor votes.
Second: The reelection of Gov
ernor for the first time in many terms
| it having been twelve years since
Maine permitted any Governor, Re-
publican or Democratic, to succeed
himself.
Third: The decisive refutation by
the voters of the Democratic cry that
Republican victory would please
Berlin.
Governor Milliken's Big Victory
This reelection of the Governor
contrary to Names habit, was most
gratifying to the party leaders, both
because of the fact of Names curious
inability to re-elect a Chief Executive,
and also because Governor Milliken
was so vigorously fought by the DEM
ocrats because of his strict interpre-
tation of the so-called "Blue Laws"
and especially because his impartial
administration of the draft law, which
the Democrats attempted to pervert
at Camp Devens by falsely telling the
soldiers that he was diverting relief
from soldiers families.
Despite Mains previous inability to
re-elect Governor; despite misrepre-
sentations despite all Democratic APP
peals to Defeat the Huns and the
Governor" Milliken was returned. to
office by handsome majority.
Most Significant Contest
The outstanding Significance of the
Maine election, however, is found in
the second district This has always
been close and it is the residence of
the most competent leader the Demo-
Gratis have in Maine, Daniel j. Nc
Gillicuddy, who represented it in the
63rd and Gath Congresses. He is a
plausible, popular, political person
atty. He is an adriot campaigner, and
he was never more active than he was
this time. Two years ago McGillicud-
dy was defeated by Wallace H. White,
Jr., by a, very narrow margin. This
year the Second was looked upon as
the test district of the State. In fact,
it should be regardSdAs a test district
for the entire nation.
The second contains the large ship
building plants at Bath and Rockland,
and the busy manufacturing centre
at Lewiston. These have been built
up during the war by an increase OF
labor employed mostly in work for the
Government in the ship building yards
and in the munition plants.
Congressman McGillicuddy was
backed by very generous campaign
fund land there was no chance lost
that could be utilized by resource
full eampaigner. He had won the dis
trict in 1912 and in 1914, and though
he bad lost-itby verys Slender gaRr-
gin in September, 1916, it still TURNED
around ana scent for Wilson by over
1000 in November, 1916.
The Republicans endured a hard
fight, but Congressman White was re-
elected by more than five times the
plurality he received in 1916. His
plurality then was SAT. His plurali-
ity in 1918 was 1854.
This disposes of the Democratic
claim that it's organization can count
on the labor vote.
Labor Vote Was Republican
In the first district similar con-
dition existed. At Kittery and other
ports upwards of 5000 laborers, re-
Gently imported from other states,
were employed inSthe ship building
plants Here, as in the newly i'm
ported labor vote in the second dis
trict, the Maine" laws regarding reg
istration particularly favored the
Democrats, it being possible there to
register at any time up to within a
week of election and the only resi-
dence required in the State of Maine
being ninety days. This would seem
to be law ideally framed for the
Democrats there in the September
election. However, Congressman
Goodall, the Republican, was returned
by a plurality of 2,241.
Judging by these results in Maine
the nation at large is justified in con-
Guiding that the laborers employed in
Government work are more eager to
have their interests represented in
Congress by Republicans than they
are to have them represented by DEM
ocrats. This is an outstanding fact in
the Maine election.
The big fact revealed there is that
the Democratic campaign slogan,
"Elect Democrats to support the Pres
ident" properly does not appeal to in
telligent men. Mr.. Hersey, Of the
fourth district, said on the floor Of
the House, September 10th, as re-
ported in the Congressional Record:
"Upon the part of the Democratic
party in Maine, it was the most un-
fair campaign ever conducted. An
attempt was made 20 prejudice the
Governor and to prejudice every men,
Der of Congress and every one who
was running for Office on the Repub-
lican ticket. Every candidate,
from the smallest, most insignificant
office to the leaders on the Democra-
a. +;cLot v,,ada tho issua that a vote