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Show M COMMENT ON THE SITUATION IN H MAINE H By the EdRor of the "Outlook" HJ President Roo?vclt la One H of the Editors. M Maine pluralities for governor and H for president were once the same. Hl But for a long time that for governor H has been declining until in 1908, Gov- H ernor Fernald received 7.G0O votes H to President Taft's 31,500. The rea- Hl son for this has been the increasing H unrost of an Intelligent people un- H der the state law prohibiting the H manufacture and sale of alcohol. No H matter how lofty the principles of H those who framed the law. It has prov- H ed a premium to deception. Liquor H has been smuggled into the state and M sold under guises which have strong- H ly appealed to the adventure-loving. j Among such the law has only stlmu- 1 Inted the liquor habit, and has per- 1 haps proportionately lessened the H watchfulness of state officials. Re- H publicaus and Democrats allhe have H chafed under the humbug. The Re- H publicans, fearing to lose their "stand- H pat" majority as regards the law, have H not paid enough attention to tho pro- H testers. So pluralities declined, not Hl because of JRepublicans staying at Hl home on election day, but because H they actually voted with the Demo- H crats. The latter promised. If return- H ed to power, to resubmit the prohibi- 1 tion law to a popular vote. The clcc- H tlon of a Democratic governor has at H last naturally followed. The Outlook. |