The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-04-03
THE NEXT CONGRESSIONAL
ELECTIONS.

THE NEXT CONGRESSIONAL
ELECTIONS.
Anxiety, doubt, and distrust charac,
terize the Democrats the country over.
The President has disappointed the
leaders, and the rank and file can
scarcely conceal their expressions Of
disgust at the continued retention of so
many Republicans in Office. As Mr..
ingalls, said in his speech in the Senate
the other day, if any prominent Demo-
crat is sincere advocate of Civil Ser
vice, history has failed to record his
name. Astute managers Of the Demo
cratic party are beginning to realize
the fact, that the present Democratic
position is a defensive one. That in
the congressional elections of the COM
ing Autumn, Success is not to be
achieved by the repetition Of the stale
stores of Republican corruption and
Encouragement. They are taking a
business view of the present situation,
and reasonably regarding the record Of
the present congress, as the basis Of
their appeals to the voters of the coun,
try, fear the opportunities offered at
the beginning Of this administration
have not been availed of to strengthen
the hold Of their party upon public
confidence. Congress has been in
session all winter, and yet not one i'm
portant public question has yet been
finally disposed Of. The tariff, the
currency, the civil service, the internal
revenue, have all in turn been talked"
at, but from present indications the
total measure of definite legislation Of
one year of Democratic control of nat
lonal affairs will be the passage of the
usual appropriation bills.
These Democrats never neglect.
In addition to these unsatisfactory
results in legislation, the widespread
distractions resulting from the Presi-
dents policy are everywhere recog-
nized. Active party workers, the men
on whom the leaders depend to FUR
nish the votes, are disappointed and
lukewarm, and those who have asked
Offices for others, are now the less Of
Tended by the Indifference which the
President has shown their recommen-
dations.
Now new congress is to be elected
this fall, and the natural question for
the leaders to be asking each other
is,-"What effect is this condition to
have upon the result ~ They know
that an addition. of twenty four votes
to the present Republican Representa-
ton would put the Democrats in mi
nority in the lower House. This an
xiety is intensified when they consider
how many Democratic members of the
present House were chosen by mi,
nority of votes or by slender major
ties. The New York Tribune rec
emily summarized these districts 1t
shows that in eight districts the plu
ralities were: for Eldredge, Of Michi
gan, 81 for Hall, of Iowa, 10; for
Warner, of Ohio, Io6 for Sey mour, of
Connecticut, 1888 for Henley, Of Cali
tornia, 145; for Anderson, of Ohio,
sol for Scott, Of Pennsylvania, CO.. :;
and for Winans, of Michigan, I $50 !;
IN the latter district e,445 Prohibition
ist votes were cast which, it is appre-
hended, may be given against the
Democratic candidate this fall. In all
of these districts the majority Of votes
actually cast at the Congressional cleo
ton was against the present Democratic
member. In nineteen other districts
the majority for the elected member
was so small that but little change in
the temper Of voters would insure the
defeat of Democratic candidates. MIR.
Geddes, of Ohio, had only 50 ma
jority Neece, of Illinois, S.; Weaver,
Of Iowa, q; Worthington, Of Illinois,
92; Frederick, of Iowa, 1o2 Gibson,
of West Virginia, I43 Landes, of Hi
nois, 243; and Lowering, of Massachus
etts, 255. In eight other districts the
majorities were less than 900 in each,
and in three between 900 and 400.
Thus there are twenty four districts in
which there was already a majority
against the Democratic party at the
last election, or change OF less than
500 votes would make a majority
against it.
From present indications as to the
drift of Democratic sentiment the
country over, it is not reckless asser-
ton to express the belief, that if the
congressional elections were held this
spring, the present Democratic ma
jority in the House would disappear.
From any point Of view the Demo-
cratic outlook is confused and dis
couraging.
WHERE SHALL THE LINE