New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-10-19
TIE NEXT CONGRESS.

THE NEXT CONGRESS-.
The loss of eight Congressman in Ohio alone
renders it doubtful whether the Republicans
| can secure majority in the next House. 1t is
not by any means, as some hastily infer, alto
gether foregone conclusion that the Dem
ocrats must have majority in that body.
| True, the majority in the present House,
| counting all those who have usually voted with
| the Republicans, is hardly twenty, ana the
| new apportionment gave an advantage OF at
| least one member TO States presumably Dem
ocratic. The Republicans have gained one in
Maine, but have lost one in Vermont and one
in New Hampshire by the appOrtionment.
But in computing the supposed gains and losses
under the appOrtOnment these changes were
anticipated, and they are balanced by increased
representation In Western Republican States.
The only unexpected loss is in Ohio. and 1T is
partly balanced by the gain, not calculated upon
when the apportionment was made, OF two
members in West Virginia. The change in
the latter State, too suggests that other
changes in the same direction are 10 be ex-
pected in several States hitherto counted as
solidly Democratic. The question is whether
gains yet to come will exceed losses yet to
come.
The situation in Ohio was in many respects
exceptional. 1t was the State of President
Garfield More feeling naturally existed there
than elsewhere, or account of the reversal of
the honorable and patriotic policy that he had
adopted. In that State, too, the Congressional
delegation had been particularly conspicuous
in connection with the conduct of the majority
during the last session. In other Western States
the Republicans appear to be more fully
united. and there is no reason to expect that
they will not secure the gains offered them by
the new appOrtiOnment. In no other State,
moreover, has the temperance question arisen
in such shape as to put the Republican party
in a position of embarrassment. In Indiana
they are openly and unitedly advocating a
direct submission of the question to the poDu-
lar vote, and in that position are as heartily
sustained by the advocates of temperance as
they were distrusted in Ohio because they
partly favored and partly opposed that course.
In short, west of Ohio there is little or reason
to expect further Republican losses. The gains
in that region, through the new appOrtiOnment,
seem reasonably likely to besecured
In the Southern States there has been fair
prospect of some Republican gains Many dis
tricts at the South are Republican, upon fair
and free vote, and some OF them are being
contested by able and popular candidates with
strong hopes of success. 1t would not be
strange if the election in West Virginia, and
the remarkably close vote in Delaware at the
late election, should be pre.nonltOry of larger
changes at the South than either party has ex-
pected The decision of contested cases, lead
ing Democrats openly asserted, was calculated
to bring out strong Republican vote this fall,
and would therefore render success in many
districts extremely difficult Their opinion at
that time was shared by Southern Republicans,
who predicted that a strong delegation from
that section would appear i'll the next Congress,
If Justice was done in the settlement of con-
tested cases. In addition, the Democrats
have been quarrelling among themselves, as is
usual when a party has carried things with a
high hand. Independent candidates have sprung
up in some districts and discOrd and disgust
in many. All these things render it not i'm
probable that the hope of some Republican
gain at the South will be realized.
The Republican party ought not to be count
ing upon a single vote from the South to give
it a majority, 1t would not if it had acted
with wisdom in New York, PENNSYLVANIA and
Ohio. The result in Ohio is visible. In New
the gain of a member, by reason of Democratic
disgust with one or two nominations than of
the loss of any. The doubt is as to the result
in this State and Pennsy lvania. In these
States the Republican party has been so man
aged that some loss is feared. Obviously, the |
sensible course for the Republicans is to put |
aside their differences, far as possible, with |
respect to the Congressional ticket. If this |
cannot be done, the loss in these States will |
give a majority In the House to the Dem
Dcrats.
We do not propose to unsay anything that |
mas been justly said of the misconduct of the |
majority at the last session. Its behavior |
was, in many respects, deserving of severe CEN
sure. But 1t would be wrong to condemn good
members with bad; wrong to condemn all
members of the majority because some of them
we're conspicnously and Extensively in the
wrong. The Republican members from this |