The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-07
Bare Possibility that the Big Democratic
Majority Will Be Overcome.
Strength Of the Straight-0nt Populists and
the Fusion Candidates Makes the Ont
come One of Great Uncertainty.
Review of the Situation in Al Districts
Where Changes May Occur.
Repu blicans Confident Of Making Gains That
May, with the Independents, Wrest the
House from the Brigadiers.

but one point upon which both of the great
political parties are agreed in this CAM
paign and that is that the great Democrat
ic majority in the present House of Repre-
sentatives will be largely reduced. Even
the most enthusiastic Democrat is willing
TO allow that the probabilities lie In that
direction. But when it comes to q calcula-
tion of the extent of the prediction there is
again q difference of opinion. Some san
euine publicans Ia We asserted their belief
that their party Will secure q majority in
the Fifty-third Congress and will SO be
able to elect Thomas Bracket Reed to his
old place as Speaker of the House.
The Democratic leaders. however
laugh at this claim and indeed,
few conservative Republicans have in
dorsed it. At the beginning of the present
Congress the Democrats In the House. in
cluding the eight Independents, or Alliance
men, who usually acted with them, num-
bered PAT ont of total membership of 1885,
thus controlling the House by an almost
unprecedented majority of 15S. 1t is i'm
probable, except In the event of a landslide,
that the enormous majority can be over
come by the Republicans. the best IN
formed Democrats in Washington believe
that their party will have majority of
about % in the next House; conservative
Republicans majority of about IL. and
the probabilities are that the true majority
will lie somewhere between these figures,
say IS OF 20.
Because of the numerous unknown fac
torsenterin ginto the con tests In many of the
congressional districts the outcome of the
elections for congressman Is really much
more difficult to forecast than in the case of
the presidential contest. In the last congress
sioDal elections. two years ago. the Alli-
ance was In the prime OF Its youthful
strength, and, because OF it's refusal to al
filIate to any extent with either of the old
parties. managed To secure the adhesion of
very many voters from the ranks of both.
Besides, as is usually the case In the mid
presidential contest. spirit of unrest was
upon the people aud party ties sat lightly
upon them. Since that time, however,
the fAlliaDce has almost ceased to
have an independent existence and has
been merged into the third or Peoples
party in many States. This party, in turn.
has affiliated with one or the other of the
old parties. The object of these affiiia-
tions has been to strengthen the reprssen-
tati0n IN the House, and to this end the
presidential ticket has been traded off.
One of the results of this plan has been to
drive back into the ranks of the old
parties many of the old original Alliance
men who did not relish the prospect of be-
ing delivered over to their old-time antag-
onisJs. The other effect has been to sur
round the coming congressional election
with q cloud of doubt that makes it al
most idle TO prophecy the result.
IN THE ALLIANCE sTRoNGHoLDs.
Coming down to details it may be we'll to
look at the situation in Kansas and Ne
brasks. the former Alliance strongholds.
There the situation is more involved than
elsewhere. The Democrats have made a
strong fight for independent existence, but
realizing that if continued it would be
nothing more than fight for principle
without the most sbsdowy prospect of any
substantial returns In the shape of Offices
they have at last abandoned the unequal
contest and have gone over in q body to the
third party ranks.
In Nevada. owing to the efforts of SEN
ator Stewart who has at last come out in
open warfare not only upon the admins
tration, but upon mis- old party, because of
its failure to indorse his extreme silver
coinage views. the new party is believed
to be supreme. 1t will. IL is thought. not
only elect the third party electors. but also
send 10 the House Francis Newland, the
well-known free-silver exponent. The Re-
publicans have neryed themselves to make
Rstrong fight and will oppose Newland
with Representative Washburn, and have
also determined TO force the struggle and
try to replace Stewart In the Senate with
Bartine. the present Representative in Con-
gress.
In Alabama. another of the Alliance
ytronghoids. the bad blood engendered in
the recent State election, has led the de-
feated Kolbite and Jeffersonian Demo
Populists and other disaffected elements of
the old Democracy TO go to the length OF
fusiDg with the Republicans in some of the
districts. That astute politician, Chris
McGee. has been quick to take advantage
ofthe situation and has fermented the ST. re
and helped along the fusion with all the
means placed at his disposal by the ma
tional Republican committee. Now he
confidently claims at least two of the
present Democratic districts OF the State
for the fusion ticket. One of these Is the
district now represented by Oates. q ma
tional party leader and strong man. and
opposed to him Is Tate. kolbIte who
promises TO run we'll. The other district
Is the Seventh, now represented by that
veteran Democrat, William Forney. for
many years members of the appropri-
atoms committee of the House. He has
declined to run again and in his place the
Democrats have nominated w. II. benson,
who is opposed by w. L. Wood. another
kolbIte.
In Michigan the Republicans admit the
probability M the election of three out of
the twelve Representatives., while the
Democrats claim at least half of the dele
gatiOn IN Kansas.
The Alliance is almost novelty in Cali
fornia. but fusion has already been made
with the Democrats, and as consequences
the Sixth district. where Lindley, Keep, is
opposed TO Cannon, DEM. Is likely to be
very close. with the odds slightly in favor
of Cannon. who is also backed by the third
party. Geary, the present Democratic
REPRESENTATIVE from tho Fifth district.
also expects TO be returned, and has be-
hind him the prestige of q successful but
close tight last time.
Connections is q close State in the con-
gressioual as we'll as in the presidential
outlook. The Republicans have one of the
four members in the present House, and
expect to get another. If they do, they
will make their gain in the Second or New
Haven. district, where there Is much dis
affection in the Democratic ranks, caused
by the failure to renominate Wilcox. the
present member. His friends have been
outspoken In their threats of revenge.
Delaware will doubtless retain the same
representation IN the House-solrdly Demo-
cratic-as IL has but one Representative.
''ToM" WATSON MAY WIN
The interest in Georgia centers in the
fight between the straight Democrat, j. j.
Black. and the doughty Tom Watson,
who SO openly fouted the present Houss
last summer and wrote books about the
personal habits of the members He had a
good majority last time. but he has since
antsgonized a strong element in his own
party. and his district has since been car.
RED by the Democratic State ticket agains,
ais best efforts. On the other hand. he il
now backed by the Republicans as well as
she Third party, and so there Is a chance
that tho Georgia delegation will mot be