Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-17
HOW REPUBLICANS FIGURE
Chairman Babcock Expects His Party to
Poll Its Largest Popular Vote.
Necessary to Contest Every Inch of
Two Campaigns in One.

Mr.. ]. W. Babcock. the chairman Of the
republican congressional committee, when
asked by Star reporter what he thought
of the outlook for a republican victory this
fall said:
'I believe the people have had all they
want of free trade theories, and whether
the Wilson bill becomes a law or not cuts
but little figure in the result this fall for
the democratic party has proven to the
country Its utter inability to formulate leg
islation or conduct the affairs of the gov
eminent Every attempt it has made so
far has resulted not only in disappoint-
ment to the country at large, but to the
best element in the democratic party. This
condition Of affairs. 1 believe, will result
In the republican party polling the largest
popular vote in its history"
What will be the result In the House?"
THE result Of the election this fall will
be OF greater Importance. and there is more
at stake. than at any election held since
the war. At present. there are twenty
five states that have been apportioned by
the democrats. and eleven by the republi-
cans. The remainder elect at large, having
only one OF two members each and have
not been apportioned.' The vote that elect
ed Benjamin Harrison President in 'SS
gave US majority OF three In the House.
but the same vote today. which was then
decided republican victory, would give the
democrats from ten to twelve majority In
the House. This result Is brought about
by gerrymanders in large northern states
among which are New York. Michigan, ILL
Lois and Wisconsin. So you will at once
see that We can win by a large popular
vote and still lose the House The demo-
Gratis now have 40 members and the re-
publicsns Z from the solid south. The
democrats need only 90 more to make a ma
Jority. and have 2S northern states to elect
them from. while we must secure 172 men,
bers from these same states to organize the
House. or in other words. We must elect
l12 members out of 229 districts-or three
members to their one. And under the
present gerrymanders. the problem is. can
we elect 20 per cent of the members in the
Is eastern, western and northern states :?
The present indications are that We can
elect in over so per cent of these districts.
but to do this We must contest every inch
Of ground The race for the control of the
next House, / believe, practically deter
mines the coming presidential election, for
II the democrats control the Fifty-fourth
Congress by majority of states, their
plan Of campaign for '98 will be to indorse
western states to prevent the republicans
from securing a majority of the presiden-
tial electors, and in this way throw the
election of the President into the House
SO you will at once see that X we lose the
F1fty-fourth Congress we will go into the
presidential campaign badly handicapped.
We do not look for any great gains from
the south. for / believe that the legislation
SO far enacted. and the pending Wilson BILL
together with the income tax provision
will strengthen the democratic party in
that section. They have for years demand
ed free trade and cheap labor, and no one
will dispute the self-evident fact that the
price of labor has been greatly reduced
since the election Of Mr.. Cleveland in 1892
II Is the duty of the committee to look the
facts squarely in the face. but confidently
believe that We can secure a fair working
majority in the Fifty-fourth Congress, but
II will not be large, and our friends, who
rashly predict that we will carry the House
by anywhere from so to 100 majority have
entirely overlooked the conditions we have
to contend with. We will practically have
to conduct the two campaigns In one, and
TO win will require the combined and un-
firing efforts of every republican and citi-
zen who has the best interests Of the coun-
try at heart"