Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-11-12
The HERALD AND THE ELECTIONS,


be fair and unbiased by any predi-
lections of its management in deal
ing with the public, is amply at
tested by the applause it received
for the accuracy and impartiallty
of its statements of probabilities
before the election and its candid
announcements of results after
wards. On court day the Office was
visited by numerous gentlemen
from the country, some to renew
subscriptions, others to begin sub
scriptions, and all to commend the
paper for its sincere and successful
efforts to measure the probabilities
Of the elections In advance, and its
prompt and accurate statements OF
election figures in its last weeks
issue.
In its issue before the elections,
the HERALD gave a tabulated state
ment with the official vote of the
close districts in the present House
of Representatives. In its editorial
comments upon these figures, the
HERALD did not deny the possibili-
ty of Republican possession of the
next House but it positively claimed
as an almost assured result, a large
reduction of the Democratic mgOri-
tn in that body. 1t was INDICATED
by the result, as the Democratic
majority In the present House is re-
duced more than fifty per cent. in
the next House. Moreover the HER
AID indicated the states in which
the Republican gains would mainly
be mad e, and in advance practically
surrendered the whole cotton states
belt of territory to the Democrats.
Upon this line its leading editorial
of October Goth, said
"The Congressional elections of
1884, as is shown IN the table Of
figures we give revealed many close
districts. The Democrats were re-
markably fortunate in these close
districts. A distribution of nine
thousand votes, fortunate to the
Republicans, would have given
them in the present House of Rep
resentatives twenty-four districts
now represented by Democrats
These districts are located in no
particular sectional or geographic
cal divisions of the country. They
are found to be in New England
and in California alike. In Ohio,
Iowa, Pennsylvania and New York
the Republican expectation of gains
is greatest and probably best
founded. Inscriptions gerryman.
ders of states in the arrangement
of Congressional districts have
been practiced by both parties to a
lamentable degree. A Democratic
gerrymander gave the Republicans
only ten members out of twenty
one from Ohio in the present
House. A subsequent Legislature,
Republican in complexion, rear
ranged the Ohio Districts, aud the
Republicans can hardly fail to add
five or six members to their pres.
ent strength in the Ohio delega-
ton, as, two years ago, while only
electing ten out of twenty one men,
bers of the present House, the Re-
publicans yet had a plurality Of
10000 in the elections Of Ohio |
Congressman.
In the four states named the |
Democratic loss of members is like |
ly to aggregate from twelve to
fifteen Districts. With fair luck |
in other states the Republicans may !
secure the next House by a meagre |
majority. What effect the posses.
sion of power and patronage by
the Democrats may have upon the
general result of the Congressional
is an undetermined ques-
ton. So far as the South is con.
cerned the Republicans appear to
be seriously contesting very few
districts. In West Virginia Sena-
tor Kenna thinks the result doubt
full and serious enough to invoke
his presence in the active canvass
In which he is now engaged. In
less than twenty districts in the en-
tire South do Republicans profess
of success ----~.--
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