The New York herald., 1922-09-08
maine REPUBLICANS
RELYONDEMOCRATS'
WEAKNESS TO WIN
Realize Foes Have Nothing
Better or as Good to
Offer to Voters.
CAMPAIGN is LISTLESS
Both Parties Living Off
Fat Spots Of Their Past
Achievements.
BAXTER is DUE TO WIN
Hale Probably Would Lose in
Senate Race Were Bonus
Leading Issue.
BAXTER is DUE TO WIN
By LOUIS sEIBoLD.


speciol Dispatch to THE New YoRK HrRALp.
PORTLAND, Me-, Sept. THE sense
OF security in the State election to be
held next Monday asserted by Repub-
lican leaders of Maine is not due to
their belief that the citizens are salts
fed with conditions for which the Of
iceho!ders or the party usually Is held
Irresponsible. 1t Is rather inspired py
the realization that the Democratic
party has nothing better to offer or as
good.
The fact OF the matter is both Re-
publican and Democratic organizations
kn Maine are suffering from arrested
dcvelopment-just living off the fat
spots of past party achievements in
the present lean ones.
The rival leaders concur to some ex-
tent in the statement that the citizens
are much dissatisfied with the failure
of the Republican Administration at
washington to provide relief from war
consequences and equally chagrined
over the inability Of the Democratic
party to propose correctives 70 meet
the alleged Republican delinquencies.
The Maine voter. therefore. displays
a pronounced tendency to follow the
hine OF least resistance and grin and
bear it until somebody starts some
thing to salvage them from stagnation.
As there Is at present no somebody
in sight the political barometer next
Monday probably ~.i reveal the ex-
istence OF a wider degree Of apathy
and indifference than usually Is the
case.
Campairn IIpA Iyeen Dull.
The campaign has been dun ana
l.stless. Neither t.asty has candidates
for the United States Senates, the -FOUR
Congressional Offices. as well as the
full state ticket. calculated to make
special appeal for popular support.
The rallies have been sparsely at
tended. excepting in the large centers.
Neither side has expended any money
To speak of for the excellent reason
that citizens generally do not think
hat the show provided is worth pay
ng for. Lacking spectacular fea-
Lures as well as impressive candidates,
Republican and Democratic managers
nave experienced great difficulty In
srticing the citizens to exhibit any
hing approaching enthusiasm over
he inconsequential issues and disputes
which have made thin line of de-
L 4 4 ttne
There is, in other words. none Of the
ire or exuberance that used to char
Ecterize the conduct Of a Maine state
ampaign. Few, II any national figures
ave been projected into the contest to
end first aid to the candidates. Henry
cabot Lodge, George Wharton Pep
Ter. and Senator Moses of neighbor-
ng New Hampshire have dropped in
make a turgid speech or two de-
igned to prove that. whatever the
ecord of the Republican party, the
ecord Of the Democratic Congress was
Ecrse.
The brunt OF popular criticism nat
rally and deservedly falls on Con-
ress and not on President Harding
hough he, too, comes in for n share
the responsibility. The chief griev-
nee against the President is not due
any political causes, but rather to
he domestic consequences of the fuel
tuation. The railroad strike. so far
hs not touched directly the industries
the State.
state Opposes Bonus.
In a general sense, the President 10
edited with having done the best he
+uld with some bad material and
All or refractory tools--meaning Con-
tess. IL the Democratic party. either
ational or State. had something more
lbstantial to offer than criticism for
epublican omissions the maine
Erometer." next Monday undoubtedly
puld prove most disturbing to the
ADMINISTRATION leaders at Washington
hd the commanders of its forces
roughout the country.
If the bonus were the only issue in
aine, Senator Hale would receive n
od licking next Tuesday, because
ntiment OF the people undoubtedly
opposed to that purely political en-
tprise.
IL the tariff were the only issue, Mr..
hc and the four Republican candi-
tes for Congress would Just about
ueeze through, despite the fact that
potato raisers of Aroostook county
e inclined to be grateful to their
nator for applying the Democratic
Icy Of free trade to potash. Mr..
lle is credited with having exercised
mendous influence in inducing his
rty to provide free potash, though
fact Is. 1t was done for all the
Continued on Page SIX.