Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-12-28
Trying to Steal the Senate.

Under the above heading, the Balti-
more Sun says some of the leading re-
publican newspapers and politicians
profess to think it best for their party
that the democrats should have unob-
structed control of both houses of Con-
gress as well as of the executive. But
this is moi the way the tariff barons
view the matter. They paid a large
sum of money for control of the gov
eminent and they are not willing that
the fat that was fried out of them
should go for nothing. The laws of
Congress are fixed now just to suit
them, and if they can be kept I'M
changed their object will be gained.
The only way to do this is to keep
the Senate from being democratic, and
scheme to accomplish this, by fair
means or foul, is, 1t is believed, now
being practiced. The party which held
on to the presidency in 1876 after being
voted down, which admitted the min
ing camp States with the belief that
they would make their power in the
Senate perpetual, that got the Legisla-
ture of Montana by the manipulation
of the Silver Bow returns, is at work
again as aforetime.
The Senate Is composed of eighty
eight members. Forty-four, with the
casting vote of the ice-President, will
give the democrats majority over all
In the present Senate there are forty
seven republicans, thirty-nine demo
Gratis and two populists. The demo
Gratis must therefore gain five new
Senators to have control of the gov.
eminent. One has certainly been
gained in New York and one in Wis
consin. The three more that are neces.
sary are expected from the States OF
California, Montana and Wyoming
and it is in these three States that the
fine work for the preservation of the
Mckinley bill is going on. In Cali
fcrnia the democrats at the late cleo
ton Endorsed four farmers alliance
candidates and they were elected
Counting these four with the demo.
Gratis, that party has a majority on
joint ballot without them they will
lose the Senatorship. It is believed
that the republicans are attempting to
make some kind of deal with these
men, but the democrats are said to
have no fear of them.
In Wyoming the republican plan
seems to have the merit of simplicity.
1t consists in simply giving the certii-
Gates of election to republican candi-
dates for the Legislature whether they
were elected or not.
In Carbon county one member of the
board of canvassers signed an abstract
of the vote, leaving out democratic
precinct and electing two republican
members of the Legislature. The other
two members signed an abstract show
ing the election of the democrats by in
Guiding all the precincts. The State
board of canvassers adopted the return
signed by the one man. A mandamus
to compel the counting of the precinct
is asked for and is returnable next
Thursday.
In Montana the hope of the republi-
cans is based upon having the returns
of Choteau county counted. These
were thrown out by a republican board
for glazing fraud, and application has
been made by the republicans to a
judge who is said to be strong parti-
san to have them counted Demo,
Gratis, however, seem to be confident
that they will elect the Senator despite
all this.
In Nebraska and Kan sas the fight il
between the republicans and the popu-
lists. In Kansas the populists have
become SO indignant at the methods O,
republican canvassers that it is ex.
pected ten thousand will come to the
State.capital ON the day the Legisla-
ture meets. At present it looks as if
there may be two Legislatures.
In Nebraska the election of Senator
may be decided by single vote, and it
is said that republican canvassers have
acted in a highhanded way.