Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 223, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1920 — THE MAINE ELECTION. [ARTICLE]

THE MAINE ELECTION.

The Republicans carried Maine yesterday by wholly unprecedented pluralities, that on the state ticket being about 65,000. Four years ago the Republican plurality was only 13,598. The margin in favor of the Republicans this year might reasonably have been expected to be considerably larger than in 1916, since, by the adoption* of the woman suffrage amendment, the number of voters has been more than doubled. But no such plurality was looked for by the Republicans, or dreamed of by the Democrats. The most significant thing about the election is that while there was an increase of more than 50,000 in the Republican vote, the Democratic vote was, with most of the precincts in, only about 2,000 larger than it was four years ago. This seems to show that the women are to be credited—or charged—with the enormous plurality. The remarkable Republican gain must ✓be almost wholly due to them. Deducting that gain ,the “Republican plurality would have been about what it was in 1916. As the' Campaign in Maine was made almost wholly, on national issues with the league of nations in the lead, the only possible conclusion is that the women were not impressed with the case as presented by the Democrats. Party leaders would, one can imagine, be very glad to know whether they fairly represent the women of the west. The victory was sweeping, as the Republicans elected not omy their state ticket, but the four members at congress, and all the sheriffs ana county attorneys. The legislature is, of coursb, overwhelm-

ingly Republican. No one has ever claimed that the Maine election “controlled” the national election following, or even that the so-called moral effect was important. But it may fairly be said that the verdict of any considerable group of the American people does throw some light -on the general situation. It is from this point of view that the figures of yesterday be studied. If the people of other sections feel as the people of Maine evidently do, the general result is already determined. And that is the question. Are the people of Maine fairly representative? Four years ago the election in that state undoubtedly reflected the feeling of the east, and of the old combination of state, for the east—and Indianafollowed the Maine lead. But the ►west did not. * Such a great plurality as that of yesterday, will, however, have a moral effect, since it will inspire the Republicans, and put some lifeinto their lagging campaign. It is foolish, as well as false, to say that the decision wholly was on local issues.’ National leaders on both sides— including the two candidates for the vice-presidency and the secretary of the navy—participated in it, and national issues were discussed almost to the exclusi on of everything else. If the plurality had been insignificant, the Democrats would have claimed the result as a victory.—lndianapolis News.