The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-25
Prospects of the Next House of Repre-
sentatiycs.

Both parties feel and admit that the House
of Representatives to be elected this fall
will be OF Importance In relation to the cleo
tion OF President in 1850. Consequently
supreme effort will be made by each to
secure the majority In that body As be-
tween the Democrats and the Republicans,
the former have the advantage Of possess
sion. and OF the popular issues In the States
and sections where gains may be reasonably
expected. The latter have better discipline,
and through the process OF lcvying volun-
tary contributions on hundred thousand
ofliceholders, they will be able to raise a
large fund.- which their opponents cannot do.
BY reapportionmcnt the Democrats will
gain three or four members in Missouri and
four or five in Ohio They have already
scored one In Oregon, as the opening OF the
campaign. South Carolina will give them
at least two additional members and Florida
one. The chances of Democratic accessions
from Indiana, Wisconsin. and Illinois are
fair On tho other hand. the districts now
represented by CASEY YOUNG in Tennessee.
by TURNER in Kentucky, and by CHALMERS
In Mississippi, IL ex-senator ALCoRN should
be candidate against him. are more or
less likely to be won by the Republicans
In the Northern and New England States
the probable changes on both sides will
offset each other.
Thus the prospect for the Republicans to
increase their present strength in the
House cannot be called encouraging. They
will enter the canvass weighed down with
she burden OF sustaining Fraudulent Adj
ministration and OF enjoying the fruits Of
stolen success. They will have to carry the
responsibility OF being In power at period
OF great suffering without having the will
or the ability to afford any relief whatever.
All the exposures Of JOHN SHERMAN, STAN
LEY MATTHEWS and their associates aggra-
vate the public resentment against the
Fraud, and impair confidence in the party
which has at the very least condoned it by
falling to dccis.vcly rcpudiato HAYES and
his Administration.
The very strong probability that the Sen
ate will be Democratic after the 4th OF
March next is another cause calculated to
dishearten the Republican masses, though
that fact Of itself may nerve the leaders to a
desperate effort But they are without
any issue or cry to excite popular feel
ing. The current has for several years
continuously set against Them as il usually
does against any party which by long pos
session Of power has grown reckless, domi-
neering, and venal.
This rapid review OF the respective posi-
lions Of the Republicans and the Democrats
shows pretty clearly that the present ma
jority in the House will probably be re-
tanned in round numbers, and may he in
creased unless some new element should
rise up in the few months that will in
terVene between this time and the day
OF election. or course the Nationals will
be cheered by their sweeping success in
San Francisco, and will not fail to profit by
the encouragement which it gives. Under
this impulse, they may perhaps return Il
few members to the House and with good
candidates they might elect half of the Cali
fornia delegation easily, as things now
stand in that State
But except in certain localities east Of the
Pacific coast, the new organization Is not
likely TO make much Roadway for Congress,
though 1t will probably get footing in sew
eral OF the State Legislatures, and may hold
the balance Of power in New York, Penn
sylvania, Indiana, and other States which
are TO elect Senators to come in after the ith
OF March, 1879 All things considered, the
chances are in favor ofthe Democrats con-
tinuing their ascendancy in tho House;
though with their present majority there
they have done little to deserve that favor
at the hards OF the people