Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-30

the Maine Central Power Co., which
they insist Is an Insull-controlled cor
poration. They paint pictures OF the
State in the grip of a great utility
corporation. with rates for electricity
mounting instead of decreasing.
The Republicans are paying little at
tention to the illumination of Democrats
along these lines. They do rot believe
that the people of Maine in this cam
paign are so much interested in water
power as they are in the LIQUOR issue,
which has been raised by the nomina-
ton of Gov Smith for President by the
Democrats. Furthermore, the Repub-
ltcans contend that there is no purpose
whatever of denuding the State OF It's
hydro-electric power, but of merely
selling the surplus to other States. They
maintain those who discuss 1t at all.
that such policy would be far more
beneficial to Maine than to bottle up
the great undeveloped water powers OF
the State forever
Expect Mrs. Ross.
The Democrats are expecting Mrs.
Nellie Tavloe Ross. former Governor OF
Wyoming, and vice chairman OF the
Democratic national committee, to in
wade Maine in the interest of the State
ticket within a few days. Mrs. Ross is
an ardent dry and is going about the
country declaring that prohibition en-
forcement would be safe III the hands OF
Gov. Smith If he were elected President
and that he could not change or modify
the dry laws from the White House.
The Democratic women are anxious to
have Mrs. Ross come into the State to
offset some of the unfavorable publicity
Gov, Smith has received here on the
ground he is a wet
The Democrats in this State are up
against stiff proposition. In the first
place, the Republicans have a majority
of the voters In the second place. the
Republicans hold practically all the pub
lie Offices In the third place. the State
is dry, particularly since the women
have been given the vote And, finally
the early State election is real handi-
cap to the Democrats. since the Repub-
lican national organization invariably
sends speakers and money into the
State, when it is needed. to aid in the
bringing about victory for the G. 0. P.
in the first State to hold an election.
Some of the Democrats bitterly COM
plain because in 1910 and 1911, when
their party had control of both houses
of the Legislature and had the governor,
the law was not changed so as to bring
the State election in November along
with the national election. Old-timerS
in the State. however, point out that
the weather in Maine Is not good for
open air meetings in late october and
the first of November. And therefore
It is wiser to hold the State elections
in September. with an early campaign.
Furthermore, there is no denying Maine
likes to be in the limelight as the State
which points the way the Nation is
going in national contests.
Smith Hope Seems in Vain.
After the State elections are over and
done, as a rule, the campaign quiets
down in Maine The Democrats have
had their fill of fighting by then, par
ticularly if a substantial Republican
majority has been rolled up for the
Republican State ticket. 1t is possible
that this year other tactics will be fol-
lowed and an effort made to roll up
big vote for Smith even though the
Republicans win September 10. But
from a Smith point of view, Maine
seems today rather hopeless. While
the Democratic presidential candidate
is expected TO pick up some wet and
Catholic Republican votes, he is likely
also to lose some dry and Protestant
Democratic votes.
The Portland Press Herald publishes
letter from Fred E. Sanborn OF Fair
field, Me, which gives an inkling of the
difference between the support which
is coming to the Republicans in Maine
and that which is being accorded the
Democrats. Mr. Sanborn, who says he
is 70 years old and a cripple, COM
plains bitterly that the Republican ma
tional committee has sent into the State
thousands of free automobile plates
bearing Hoover's name He says that
year ago he invested all his money
in Hoover and Smith automobile plates.
hoping to make some money out OF
them in this campaign.
He continued: II have never heard
of the Democratic national committee
trying to down the poor people of this
state by sending Smith plates to give
away. and take the bread from the
mouths of many little children / think
1t unfair to the poor people of Maine
for those rich men to try and starve
out us poor people that have invested
our last dollar. little thinking we were
up against the Republican national
committee that can raise $4,000 900 to
carry out their ends. ! sincerely hope
that all the people that have invested
their money for Hoover plates feel as
/ do. They will all vote for AL Smith,
for I don't believe for one minute that
Gov. Smith would approve of this
method of getting votes and depriving
little children of the necessaries of life
This trick OF the Republican national
committee has made Smith man out
of me-"