The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-06-27
Ghe Daily Arg,,s,
The COMPENSATORY Electiona.


The welcome release of members of the
House of Representatives who have gone
home to look after districts invites atlen-
ton to the truly important elections which
are to take place this year. What the
present members may do is of little conse.
quence. All they are solicitous about is a
denomination by their own party, and
whether they succeed or fail makes little
difference in the general result. The
nominations affect the aspirations of indi
Vldual men rather than the relative
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 control the nominations, ana is
OF little consequence except to the candi-
dates and their friends. In all districts in
the northern states at least two competi~
tors will be brought into the field, and in
most success will be determined by other
considerations than the personal strength
| and popularity of the candidates, the
point which is of sepreme interest to the
asplrants being of little consequence 10 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 Congress
ional elections this year are OF unusual i'm
portance. They will determine the ques-
ton whether the government is to be
substantially under democratic control after
the 4th of March. A democratic majority
IN the Senate after that date is already
assured, and if the party should hold its
present control of the House the republl>
can Executive will be powerless 4 Con-
gress democratic in both branches has not
existed since 1860, and it will be qnite o
novel thing, after the lapse of nineteen most
eventtul years, to find that body again in
the hands of the democrats, with the
republicans powerless except in the Very
measures which President Hayes NAV
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 election:
OF 1874. The whole drift of political ten,
denotes is against them. The presiden
they elected two years ago has not proved
popular even in his own party, and al
though the quarrel is understood to hay,
been hushed the republicans can feel NJ
s enthusiasm for chief whom their organ
e have been accustomed to belittle and de
ride. The people at large favor economy
and most of the extravagant legislation Q
I the late session was the work of tn
republican Senate, which depressed tn
r frugal tendencies of the democratic House
The Potter investigation may not hav
much effect: but its effect, so far as it ha
any, will not be for the advantage of th
IL republican party.
There are reasons quite apart from til
political issues raised between the tW
parties why the democrats seem to hay
the better chance. First, consider th
south. Ia a few of the southern state
there was still a republican organizatio
two years ago, and several republica
members were elected to Congress. Th
republicans will lose all or most of thes
and it is difficult to see where they are
gain a member 10 all the southern state
q Consider California. Three of the fol
81 present mem bers from that state are repu
> licans; but owing to the Communist vi
heaveI they are likely to be replaced t
It Kearneyites. Consider Indiana, where ii
loss oil Senator Morton must greatly weakt
8 the party. In New York the republican
are more likely TO lose than to ga
members, because their influence will
s. chiefly expended in choosing members
FF Assembly with view to ret elect Senat
CoDkling. In Ohio, Mr.. Hayes own stat
- his party cannot expect to be so strong as
was two years ago 10 the first flush of l
popularity after his nomination for Il
- presidency. Explore where we will we C
discover no prospect OF recovery of t
house Of representatives. by the republic
- party.-N T. Herald.