Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-06

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An overwhelming majority in the House
does not give the democrats the power to enact
new legislation nor to undo what this Congress
mas done. However strictly the result Of this
election may be construed as reproval Of this
congress for its action on important measures,
the Senate and the President stand in the way
OF any enforcement Of strictly democratic
policy. Chiefly by their victory the democrats
are clothed with negative power.
They roan keep down appropriations and
prevent legislation which they disapprove.
very small majority would have given them
this power. What they gain by such an over
whelming majority will be through its moral
effect upon the party and the country at large.
small majority is generally regarded as
peter than large one for party not holding
the other branch of Congress and the presi-
dency.
LARGE MAJORITY Is REGARDED As DIsAD-
VANTAGE,
chiefly because it is difficult to manage and
makes the organization loose and subject to
iacfional division. But there is point in the
progression Of majorities which gets beyond
TINS. Where victory at the polls becomes 80
pronounced as to give an overwhelming ma
lorlty, as the democrats now appear to have, it
ID regarded az an indication of popular APP
proval and gives to the majority power which
Is not dependent upon party organization and
disciphne and not necessarily confined to party
lines An effective majority is a small one or
one Oh extraordinary proportions.
THE REPUBLICAN SENATE.
The gains tho democrats have made in the
Senate are nearly as important to them their
victory in the House. They had no chance in
that body Of getting majority at this time
ana the situation was generally regarded as
such that they could not hope for control
there for number of years. The gains
they have made at this election, how
ever, give them some hopes that
II they elect the President in '92 they may at
the same time gain the Senate and get control
OF the government. The republicans now have
O majority OF ten in the Senate and the
Senators from Idaho and Wyoming will increase
this to fourteen. The democrats would have to
are twenty-eight Senators whose time
expires in 81. OF these sixteen are
republicans and twelve democrats. A
number OF these have already been
elected. The democrats. by the returns now
In, appear to have carried all the legislatures
necessary for the reelection of their own men
and have made gains in some states. They ap-
pear to have gained q Senator in New York
and one in Wisconsin. In Illinois and Kansas,
New Hampshire, Connecticut and Colorado the
legislatures are close.
MUCH TIME AND HARD WORK TO CHANGE THE
SENATE.
The two Senator's they have certainly gained
will merely offset the new state of Idaho.
Should they have the legislatures In the other
five states there would still be a republican
majority Of two. But their chances of carrying
more than one Of the five states appear very
uncertain. In the struggle for gains in 1893
they will have to contend against the republi-
cans IN RhodeIsland, Washington, North Dakota,
Minnesota, Massachusetts. Maine, Connecticut,
California, New York, Nebraska, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Montana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Ne
vada and Michigan. They might hope to win
or to find good fighting ground in Massachu-
sets, Minnesota, Connecticut. New York, Ne
braska, Montana, Wisconsin, Ohio, New Jer-
sey and Michigan. They would have to win in
four or five of these states to get q majority.