The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-24
The Congregational elections.

The Congressional Elections.
The welcome release of members OF the
House of Representatives who have gone
home to look after districts invites atten-
ton to the truly important elections which
are to take place this year. What the
present members may do is Of little conse-
qnence. All they are solicitous about is
denomination by their own party, and
whether they succeed or fail makes little
difference in the general result. The
nominations affect the aspirations of
individual men rather than the rela-
tive strength of parties, there being
few districts where the nomination of
any particular man is necessary to the
success of his party. The work OF the next
two months will only control the nomina-
tons, and is Of little consequence except to
the candidates and their friends. In all
competitors will be brought into the field,
and in most success will be determined by
other considerations than the personal
strength and popularity of tho candidates,
the point which is of supreme interest to
the aspirants being of little consequence in
the estimation Of the mass of voters.
But when the nominations have been
made and the canvass is fairly opened it
will be generally felt that the Congressional
elections this year are Of unusual impor-
lance. They will determine the question
whether the government is to be substan-
tally under democratic control after the
4th of March. democratic majority in the
Senate after that date is already assured,
and if the party should hold its present
control Of the House the republican Execu-
tive will be powerless. Congress demo-
cratic in both branches has not existed since
1860, and it will be quite novel thing,
after the lapse of nineteen most eventful
years, to find that body again in the hands
of the democrats, with the republicans pow
erless except in the very few measures
which President Hayes may think it his
duty to veto.
We can hardly see possibility of the
republicans recovering the House of Rep
resentatives which they lost in the elections
Of 1874. The whole drift of political ten
denotes is against them. The President
they elected two years ago has not proved
popular even in his own party. and al
though the quarrel is understood to have
been hushed the republicans can feel no
enthusiasm for chief whom their organs
have been accustomed to belittle and de-
ride. The people at large favor econ
omy; and most Of the exLravagant
legislation Of the late session was
the work Of the republican Senate, which
repressed the frugal tendencies Of the dem
ocratic House. The Potter investigation
may not have much effect but its effect, SO
far rs it has any, will not be for the advan-
tage of the republican party.
There are reasons quite apart from the
political issues raised between the two
parties why the democrats seem to have
the better chance. First, consider the
South. In few of the Southern States
there was still republican organization
two years ago, and several republican
members were elected to Congress- The
republicans will lose all or most of these,
| and it is difficult to see where they are to
| gain a member in all the Southern States.
COnSlueT O8tllOIuld. AACc VI VIC iOuI
present members from that State are repub-
licans but owing to the Communist up
heaval they are likely to be replaced by
Kearneyites. Consider Indiana, where the
loss Of Senator Morton must greatly weaken
the party. In New York the republicans
are more likely to lose than to gain
members, because their influence will DO
chiefly expended in choosing members of
Assembly with a view to re-elect Senator
Conkling. In Ohio, Mr.. Hayes own State,
his party cannot expect to be so strong as it
was two years ago in the first flush of his
popularity after his nomination for the
Presidency. Explore where we will We can
discover no prospect of recovery of the
House Of Representatives by the republican
party.