Evening star., 1926-11-24
Politics at Large
By e.. Could Lincoln.

"off year" in politics. For Maine will
decide whether the Republican party
or the Democratic party is TO have
/ the greater number of Senators IN
! the next Congress. Each has ~ tn
date. with one Farmer Labor Senator
and one vacancy. the Maine vacancy.
Senator Fernald. Republican, died last
! Summer. and it is his seat the con
testants are fighting for in Maine.
! This special election. called to fill
| the Fernald seat, has provided mum
! ber of surprises already. The first
was the nomination of Arthur X.
Gould of Presque Isle. way up in tn .
: northern part Of the State. near the
Canadian boundary. The betting had
all favored former Gov. Baxter. one
of the most widely known Republi-
cans in the State. But the death of
a dog and the fact that Gov Baxter
| halls from Portland. Me-, played hob
! with his chances. The dog story
runs something like this: Gov. Rax-
| ter had A dog of which he was very
| fond while he was chief executive Of
, the State. The dog died and Gov.
Baxter had the flag over the state
house at half staff because of his
grief for the dog. This use of the flag
| in honor Of the dog was resented in
American Legion took the matter up
and made something Of an issue of it
in the primary campaign.
Gov. Baxter's home is In Portland.
That is the home. too, of Senator
Hale. The northern and eastern parts
of the State raised a howl. They
! were not represented as they should
! 20
didate. wealthy power. lumber and
railroad man. Then the Ku Klux
Khan took a hand. 1t did not ap-
prove of Gould because his wife is a
Catholic. 1t did approve OF Baxter,
but 1t put forward a candidate of its
own In the section of the State not
represented by Portland, State Sena-
tor Buzzell. Ruzzell's job, according
to reports. was to take enough votes
from Gould to permit the nomination
OF Baxter. This did not work as we'll
as it might have. Gould was nom
mated with majority over all can
didates of about 1000 votes. Buzzell,
the klan candidate, received about
10, 900 votes. But Baxter's vote in
Portland fell off greatly In some
quarters this is attributed to a dis.
inclination Of friends of Senator Hale
to have another Senator elected from
Portland. Their fear has been, it is
said. that In 1928 the present Gov
Brewster, who has recently moved
his legal residence to another part Of
the State than Portland would be a
candidate against Senator Hale.
X
In the final days Of the campaign
for the election. the Democrats have
brought charges against Gould, alleg-
ing that he spent more than the 81 500
permitted senatorial candidates under
the State law and that several years
ago he bribed a former premier of
the Province Of New Brunswick in
Canada In connection with the con-
struct1on of railroads. The charge of
excessive expenditures in the primary
was brought by Rev. A. F. Leigh, said
to be a member of the KIan and a
Democrat. The klan. apparently, has
not let up In its fight on Gould. The
Republican candidate has denied
strenuously the charges made against
him. A hearing has been set for Fri
day by the Secretary Of State on Il
petition filed by Leigh against Gould.
The klan IS credited with having
supported Gov. Brewster for governor
two years ago and this year. 1t would
finger In the election of one or more
United States Senator's
Just what the effect of these charges
against Mr.. Gould will be can only he
estimated at this time. Maine is so
strongly Republican that Republicans
from the Pine Tree State now in
Washington insist Gould will be elect.
ed over his Democratic opponent, Full
ton j. Redman. After Gould has been
elected, II he be elected, it will remain
for the Senate itself to seat him. If
charges of excessive expenditures are
backed up with evidence. or those of
having bribed Canadian official, the
matter doubtless will be aired in the
Senate at the coming session. For
whoever Is elected in Maine Monday
VIII take his seat as soon after the
Senate reassembles in December as
may be possible
Senator Gerald p. Nye Of North Da-
kota. Republican and Progressive. has
been returned to the Senate probably
by the largest plurality given any SEN
atOrial candidate in the last election.
except in States where there was no
contest. when the population of the
state 1s taken into consideration. Sen
ator Nye and upward of 100 900 votes.
His nearest competitor was Norris Mel
son, Farm Republican, who re.
ceived $4,000 votes. Two other con-
didates. F. F. Burchard. Democrat,
and William Lempke, Farmer-Labor.
received respectively $4,000 and 1000
votes, while a fourth candidate. c. B.
stone, running as a wet Republican,
received 5000
After his decisive defeat last June
In the senatorial primaries and in the
election for the short term ending
March next, former Gov. Hanna. a
Republican "stalwart." did not enter
the lists against Senator Nye. The
staiWart Republican organization
seemingly decided to swallow Nve inst
as the regular organization in Iowa
determined to take BroOkhart this
year. after he had been nominated on
the Republican ticket.
* X
Senator Nye can conxratulate him.
self upon having seized opportunity
firmly by the forelock when opportll
nifty Knocked at his door a. wear ago
Senator Ledd had died There was q
large question whether Gov. Sorlie
had authority to appoint to fill a va
oancy temporarily. under the amend
ment to the Constitution providing for
the popular election Of Senator's The
view was generally expressed by Sen
ators that the governor did not have
tn1s authority. not having been given
II specifically by the Legisla ture. Sen.
ator Nye, q young newspaper publish.
er. was offered the appointment by the
governor: said he would make a try
ror 1t: got together all his resources
and came to Washington For weeks
1t looked az though he would be re.
Jected. But in the end, by g. narrow
margin. Nye was seated. The fight
over the World Court may have had
something to do with the result He
was an opponent Of the court. Dur>