Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1910 — DEMOCRATS WIN IN MAINE. [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATS WIN IN MAINE.

Elect Governor, 3 Congressmen and Claim Legislature. THE TARIFF WAS 816 FACTOR Republicans Lose Heaviest in the Cities, Fourteen Out of Twenty in State Going to Rivals. " *

Governor. Frederick W. Plaisted (Dem.) ♦ 5,000 plurality District. Congressmen. First. .William J. Pennell, Dem. Second Daniel J. McGillicuddy, Dem. Third. .Samuel W. Gould, Dem. Fourth In doObt Augusta, Me., Sept. 12—The state election to-day was a reminder of that other day * long ago when '‘Maine went Hell bent For Governor Kent.” Frederick W. Plaisted, whose father was once governor of the Pine Tree State, was to-d|ay elected chief executive over Bert M. Fernald, the Republican candidate for re-election, by about 5,000 plurality. Plaisted is at present the Democratic mayor of this the capital city of this rock-ribbed Republican state. First Defeat Since 1880. It is the first time that Maine has failed to go Republican since 1880, when a fusion Democrat state ticket was elected. But more astounding than the victory of Plaisted is the overthrow of three* Republican congressman* tour. Maine, which in 1908 gave Taft a plurality of 31,240 and Fernald a margin of 7,200, appears to have been swept clean by the tides of insurgency. In their most optimstic moments the Democrats have been dreaming of electing two Democratic congressmen. The returns show that they elected three for certain, and that probably the fourth Will likewise be a Democrat.

The ■ returns indicate that Senator Eugene Hale in announcing his from the United States Senate interpreted well the handwriting on the wall, for in addition to electing Democrats for governor and for congressmen the state lias also possibly elected a Democratic legislature.

Both Parties Surprised. The returns from the congressional districts in Maine, the state whose September elections have always been regarded as a barometer showing, what kind of political weather to expect at the polls in November, have taken away the breath of the leaders of both parties. The managers of the Democratic national committee have been claiming a chance to elect two members of congress, while the Republican national committee has been so alarmed over the situation that Congressman William B. McKinley, chairman, has been in the state aiding in the campaign, while spellbinders from as far west as California, including Duncan McKinley, over whom William Kent drove the insurgent steam roller at the primaries recently, have been arguing from platforms all over the state. The results show that the Republican alarms are justified.

Lose Congressional Seats. In the first district Pennell has beaten Hinds, Speaker Cannon’s parliamentarian, and in the second district McGillicuddy, who has been running for congress pretty regularly for a dozen years or more, has defeated Swasey. Gould has won in the third over Congressman Burleigh, and in the remaining district —the fourth —Congressman Frank E. Guernsey (rep.) admits the result is in doubt.) ~ On top of this Chairman Beane of the Democratic state commit-

tee to-night claims the election of a Democratic legislature, which will elect a successor to Hale. r It is certain the Democrats have made big gains in the legislature, and they may be able to dictate legislation, if/hot actually control it. / Latest Returns in State. At midnight returns from 535 election districts out of 628, gave Plaisted 64,658, Fernald 56,988. The same districts in 1908 gave Davis 53.694. Cobb 64,191. These figures show a Republican loss of 7 per cent and a Democratic gain of 16 per cent, and if the same percentage is maintained on the balance of the returns, Plaisted will have a plurality of 6,600. The delayed returns, however. are likely to cut down the indicated plurality for Plaisted by about 1,500, giving him a safe plurality of 5,000.