Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-01
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

w WASHlNGTON, OCE Ol.-1ut duuOuuC6-
ment from national political headquarters
of the conviction that the party which
elected the President next week would also
secure control of both branches of Congress
has naturally directed attention to that de-
partment of the campaign. While the pos
sibility of such result is recognized here,
it is regarded as by no means an absolute
certainty. The difficulty in making def
mite calculations is caused by the presence
of the Peoples party, which is expected to
be more of power in Congressional con-
tests than in the struggle for electoral
votes
Nothing but tidal wave can give the
Democrats a clear majority in the Senate,
which requires 45 members. In the pres
ent body there are AZ Republicans, 80 DEM
Gratis and the nondescripts, PETER and
Kyle. 1t will be seen that the Democrats
must gain six Senators from the Republic
ans to secure a majority of their own.
This is regarded as practically impossible,
unless there is most remarkable change in
the trend of the canvass.
The States That Are in Danger.
There are but three States in which the
terms of Republican Senators expire where
there is a prospect of Democratic success
ors being chosen. These are New York,
Wisconsin and Montana. In the Empire
State the upper branch of the Legislature,
which holds over, has a Democratic major
ity of two. There 128 Assemblymen to be
elected, and under the gerrymander the
Democrats expect to carry &c districts and
concede the Republicans 60. This is a very
narrow margin, and if the Republicans can
carry only three of the districts claimed by
their opponents they will spoil the arrange
ment They are working vigorously to that
end, but Hill is understood to be paying
more attention to the Legislature than the
national ticket, and the probability is that
the Senator who takes Hiscock's place next
March will be Democrat.
In Wisconsin, too, the Democrats have
the sovantage of hold-over State Senators
and partisan apportionment, under which
they claim lead of IL or IA on joint ballot
Republican leaders now expect an oId-time
majority for the Presidential ticket, and
anything in the shape of q landslide would
carry the Legislature with it, notwithstand-
ing the gerrymander. As it now stands the
political complexion of the next Senator
from Wisconsin is decidedly doubtful.
In Montana the present Legislature is
Republican on joint ballot by a slender
majority, and, while the Democrats are
hopeful of success, there is no apparent
reason to believe that there will be
change The State is close, but the fact
that Chairman Carter is understood to have
Il -. D.
the best of the argument
A Possibility for the Populists.
Even if the Democrats should be vic
torious in all three States their total in the
Senate would only be increased to AZ. The
real danger to continued Republican con-
troll lies in the possible election of Third
party or fusion candidates. With PETER
and Kyle voting against the Republicans
the Senate would be tie with the Vice
President having the casting vote. And
there are several States in which the legis-
latiye situation is very complicated Kansas,
Nebraska, Minnesota and North Dakota
each elect Senators this winter, and in all
four the Peoples party is making a yigor-
GUS contest, aided by more or less COM
plete fusion with the Democracy A |
similar state of affairs prevails in Michigan,
but there is little doubt of Republican !
success in that State, In Nevada Senator |
Stewart is running for reelection. He has |
been Republican, but is now supported |
by the Democrats, Populists and silver
enthusiasts If successful his future
political policy is very uncertain.
The Republicans have at least as much |
chance in Delaware as the Democrats in
Montana The former State has one Re-
publican Senator now, and the last two
Legislatures have been Republican. In
West Virginia, too, there is a chance that
Republican Legislature may be chosen.
All of the other States where Senatorial
terms expire are SO decidedly one way or
the other as to insure that there will be no
change in their representation.
No Prospect of Democratic Majority
The Democrats, then, have little or no |
prospect OF securing a clear majority in the
Senate. II the Republicans hold their own
in the Northwest their continued asceu-
dency in the upper branch of Congress is
assured. AT the worst, the Peoples party
will hold the balance of power, and their
members might prove as troublesome to the
Democrats as to the Republicans While
both elements nay be opposed to the pres
ent tariff it would seem a most difficult
task to get them 10 unite on any measure
proposing change.
While the Republicans have far the best
of the situation in the Senate they have
gigantic task to accomplish in undertaking
to wipe out the present overwhelming
Democratic majority in the House of Repre-
sentatives. The present membership con-
sists of 296 Democrats, SS Republicans and
eight independents who affiliate with the
new party. There are number of Alliance
Congressman, particularly from the South.
who &C: with the Democrats and to all in.
tents and purposes are such.
That the Republicans will make great
gains is conceded on all sides In New
England the solid delegations of Maine and
Vermont will be continued, and an increase
of at least one member is expected in each
OF the States of New Hampshire, Rhode
Island and Connecticut. Under the census
OF 1890 Massachusetts, gets Ii Representa-
tive and the Republicans claim ten of them.
double their present number.
In New York the Democrats now have
23 members, and their gerrymander will
enable them to at least re-elect IL, leaving