The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-07
DAILY, $40 A YEAR.
3 CENTS A COPY.
WEEKLY 81 IS A YEAR.
OUTLOOK FOR CONGRESS.
A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY OF 20
OR MORE PROBABLE.

More States Debatable Ground Than
in ANY Previous observation-disclosures
Breaks in the Republican Ranks in
Nevada and Michigan Fusion
Tickets Cutting Big Figure.
WASHINGTON. Nov. 6.-There IS, per.
haps. but one point upon which both Of the
great political parties are agreed in this
campaign, and that is that the great demo-
cratic majority in the present House of
Representatives will be largely reduced.
Even the most enthusiastic democrat 10
willing to allow that the probabilities lie In
that direction. But when it comes to calcu-
lation of the extent of the reduction there
Is again difference of opinion. Some san
| guine republicans have asserted their belief
that their party will be able to secure ma
jority in the Fifty-third congress and will
80 be able TO elect Thomas Brackett Reed to
his old place as speaker of the House. The
democratic leaders, however, laugh at this
claim and, indeed, few conservative repub-
licans have Endorsed it.
TIE PROBABLE MAJORITY.
At the beginning or the present congress
the democrats in the House, including eight
independents or alliancemeu, who usually
acted with them. numbered 247 out of
total membership Of 1886, thus controlling the
House by the almost unprecedented majority
OF 1853. 1t is entirely improbable, except in
the event of landslide, that this enormous
majority can be overcome by the repub-
licans. The best informed democrats in
Washington believe that their party will
have a majority OF about 25 In the next
Ng.uNa III
majority OF about II, and the probabilities
are that the true majority will lie somewhere
about these figures, say lS or 20.
DECADENCE OF THE ALLIANCE.
Because OF the many unknown factors
| entering into the contests in many of ths
| congressional districts, the outcome of the
| elections for congressman is really much
| more difficult to forecast than is the case in
/ a presidential contest. In the last con-
| gressonal elections two years ago the
alliance was In the prime OF its youthful
I strength, and because Of its refusal TO
| affiliate to any extent with either of the old
parties managed to secure the adhesion of
| very many voters from the ranks Of both
parties. Besides, as Is usually the case in
mid-presidential contest, the spirit OF un-
rest was upon the people and
party ties sat lightly upon them.
Since that time, however, the alliance has
almost ceased to have an independent exist
euCb anu mas DeBu tn6fK6u lnLO blB UulTu or
Peoples party, and IN many states this
| party In turn has affiliated with one or the
| other of the cid parties. The object of these
affiliations has been TO strengthen the repre-
! sentation in the House and TO this end the
| presidential ticket has been traded Off. One
| result OF this plan has been to drive back
| into the ranks OF the old parties many of the
| original alliancemen who did not relish the
| prospect of being delivered over to their old
time antagonists The extent of this disafs
| feotton is absolutely unknown.
CLOUD OF DOUBT.
The other effect has been to surround the
coming congressional elections with a cloud
OF doubt that makes it almost Idle to pro-
phesy the result So many of the states are
debatabe ground, and coming down to de-
tails 10 may be we'll to look at the situation
iu Kansas and Nebraska. the former alliance
strongholds There the situation is more in-
volved than elsewhere. The demo-
crats have made Il strong fight
for independent existence, but realizing
that II continued 1t would prove to be
nothing more than a fignt for principle
without the most shadowy prospect Of any
substantial returns in the shape of offices
| they have at last abandoned the unequal
| contest and have gone over in IA body to the
third party ranks. The fusion is complete
In these states and nobody can calculate the
result with any prospect Of success.
| THE FlGHT IN NEVADA.
In Nevada, owing to the efforts OF Sem
ator Stewart, who has at last come out In
| open warfare not only upon the administra-
tion but upon his old party, because OF its
| failure to indorse his extreme free silver
| coinage views, the new party Is conceded
supreme. 1t will not only elect the third
| party electors, but also send TO the House
Francis Newlands, a weil-known free silver
exponents. The republicans, however, have
nerVed themselves to make a strong fight
and will oppose Newlands with ex-Repre-
| sentative Woodburn, aud have also deter
mined to force a struggle and try and re-
place Senator Stewart in the Senate with
Mr.. BartIne. the present republican repre-
sentative in congress.
THE SPLIT IN ALABAMA.
In Alabama, another OF the alliance strong-
holds. the bad blood engendered in the res
cent state elections. has led the defeated
Kolbites, Jeffersouian democrats, populists
and other disaffected elements Of the old
democracy TO go TO the length uf fusing
with the republicans in some of the dis
tricts. That astute politician Chris Ma
gee, has been quick to take advantage OF
the situation and has fomented the strife
and helped along the fusion with all the
means placed at his disposal by the national
republican committee. Now he confidently
claims at least two of the present democrario
districts of the state for the fusion ticket
represented by Mr.. Oates, a national party
leader, and strong man and opposed to
him is Mr.. Tate, Kolbite, who promises to
run well. The other district is the Seventh,
now represented by a veteran democrat,
William Forney. for many days member
of the appropriations committee of the
House. He has declined to run again, ana
In his place the democrats have nominated
William H. benson. who is opposed by w.
NJ Wood, another Kolbite. 1t is an unde-
niable fact that the democrats have been
made very uneasy by the confident claims
of the fusionists in these two districts.
MIcHIGAN's BREAK UP.
In Michigan the republicans admit the
probability of the election OF three out OF
the twelve representatives, while the demo-
CT ats claim at least half OF the delegation.
In Arkansas the democrats fear that the
third party will elect one of the six CON-
gressmen, but they are making strenuous
efforts to send solid delegation.
The alliance Is almost novelty in Calls
fornia, but fusion has already been made
with the democracy a. as a CONSEQUENCE
the Sixth district where Lindley, repub-