Omaha daily bee., 1888-10-23
THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION.

THE CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION.
Owing to the systematic suppression
OF the republican vote in the south it is
on the whole easier for the republicans
to elect a president than to secur q ma
jority in the house Of representatives.
Nevertheless, the indications are re-
garded as very favorable to changes
that would give the republicans control
of both branches OF the fifty-tirst con-
gress. The present house contains one
hundred and sixty-eight democrats,
one hundred and ffty-three re-
publicans, and four classed
as Independents, the straight
democratic majority being Gf-
teen. There are twenty-five districts
represented by republicans, in each of
which the party majority is less than
one thousand. While this margin is
small, it is not believed the democrats
can secure one of these districts, there
being no evidence from any OF them
that that party is likely to poll a rela-
lively better vote than two years ago.
On the other hand, there are thirty-two
close democratic districts, twenty-nine
Of which are in probably republican or
| doubtful states. Two Of these districts
are in California, two in Connecticut,
five are in Indiana. three are in Michi-
gan, one in Maryland, one in
Iowa, two in Massachusetts, anl
the others are scattered. The
chances of the republicans carrying
some of these close democratic districts
are uuquestionably far better than for
the democrats to carry any of the close
republican districts, which are in Cali
f~ornia, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Careful estimates accord to the re-
publicans a probable gain Of eighteen
representatives and a loss of three,
making the net gain fifteen, which
would be sufficient to transfer the con-
troll of the house to the republicans,
though the majority would be a narrow
one. There is reason to believe, how
ever, that these estimates are too o n
sentative, and that the republicans will
carry a greater number OF the close
democratic districts than the estimates
contemplate. Two years ago the re-
publicans did we'll in the democratic
and doubtful states, while they elected
scattering members in the border
southern states, gained in Indiana, and
held their own in New York. They
lost in New England and the northwest,
and if they redeem these lossesthis year
and hold their own in the states where
they did SO well two years ago the next
house will certainly be republi-
can A gain of a dozen mem.
bers by the republicans ought
to be made in New England, the middle
states and the northwest, and it is quite
possible that Indiana and the south will
furnish half a dozen more, though the
republicans of Indiana are not confident
of doing better than to hold the ground
won two years ago. We have not shared
the hopefulness expressed from time tC
time regarding gains in the southern
states, but the prospect in certain dis
tricts of Virginia, West Virginia, Ken
lucky, Tennessee and Missouri is Ger
tainly encouraging.
But the hope Of the republican part.
obtaining control of the next hous,
Of representatives rests mainly upol
it's ability to redeem past losses
in New England and the north
west, and there appears to be eXcellen
promise that this will be done. 1t i
quite as important that the republican
should obtain control of the popula
branch Of congress as that the part.
, should elect its presidential candidates