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Show THE MAIXK ELECTION. The time was when Maine, by reason of her early election, had a decided influence in-fluence upon the politics of the country. "As goes Maine so goes the country," was the siboleth of both parties up to the time wiien the power of the east began shifting westward and mado of Ohio and Indiana the prophetic states. The last time any special significance attached to Maine was in September, 1880, when a democratic fusion t governor was elected. That being a'presidontial year the democrats were naturally elated, and tired olF guns and oratory by the wholesale, while the republicans were correspondingly depressed, and lired the heartsof Conkling and the stalwarts who cast aside their disappointment and threw themselves boldly into the campaigp, helping in the November following fol-lowing not only to reverse the result in Maine, but to elect Garfield president of the United States. This time the chief interest centered in tho ro-electiou of Speaker Reed, the fight on him in tho First Maine district being one of unusual virulence. His success, however, was so decided that even beforo the polls closed yesterday, The Times was able to announce his election by an increased majority. It now appears that not only Speaker Heed, but the entire Maine delegation to congress and the state ticket were returned by larger majorities than tlioso common to olT years in that, state. Necessarily tho outcome, tonding far to redeem the depressing effect caused by the Vermont election, will be gratifying to the republican party, yet the lesson should not lead to over confidence, but rather to prudence. Taking the result of the Maine and Vermont elections together, to-gether, it is obvious that the battle for national supremacy in congress, audi later on in the executive department, will be as stubbornly waged as ever before. |