The morning call., 1894-09-07
The FIFTY-FoURTn CONGRESS.


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The FlFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
Politicians are beginning to figure on the
complexion OF the House of the Fifty
fourth Congress which will be elected next
November. In The House of the Fifty
third Congress there are 217 Democrats
120 Republicans and eight Popuists,
with three vacancies. 1t is assumed that
in the next House the distribution of power
will be more equal. Whether the Repub-
llcans Will make gains large enough to give
them control of the body is the interesting
question of the hour. 1t is more interesting
as In the event of there being no popular
choice for President the election will be
thrown into the House.
An expert statistician figures the division
OF mem bers of the Fifty-fourlh House as
follows: Democrat: 1885, Republicans 1884,
Popuiists IA. According to this calculation
the Republicans and POpulists might unite
without obtaining a majority, and it is
pretty certain that the Southern Populists
will vote with the Democrats. Our statis-
t'clan arrives at his results by reckoning
upon the following changes:
lie looks for loss of one Democratic
| Congressman in COnnecticut-Sperry of
tile First Illinois sent twenty members
/ to the Fifty-third House, besides two at
large, eleven Democrats and eleven Re-
publcans. Here the labor vote looms up
as an unknown quantity. If it should
side against Governor Altgeld and the
administration at Washington there might
be a substantial Republican gain. One
district in Chicago now Democratic is al
ready announced as doubtful. Indiana
has eleven Democrats and two Republic
ans in the Fif;y-third House. Il is as
sumed that in November the Democrats
will lose four seats which the Republicans
will gain. The feeling in the State ap-
pears to have been inclining strongly
toward the Republican side. The Kansas
delegation now consists OF four PopuIists
and three Republicans. 1t is expected
that the Republicans will gain one seat
and that on general questions the Popu-
| lists will vote with the Republicans. It
Is supposed that the Republicans will
gain one seat in Kentucky. The result in
Louisiana will depend Oh the effect OF the
abolition of the sugar bounty. Mr.. Boat
ner looks for the election of several Re-
publicans. At present the delegation is
solidly Democratic. A gain of one seat 10
Maryland is expected By the Republicans.
Massachusetts is now represented by
nine Republicans and four Democrats.
The present expectation is that two of the
Democrats will drop out and will be re.
placed by Republicans. A gain of four
seats is looked for by the Republicans in
Michigan, whose delegation now consists
of seven Republicans and five Democrats.
Min nesota is now represented by four
Repu blicans. two Democrats and one
| Populist. a loss of one Democratic seat
is predicted. In Nebraska the Repub-
icans are expected to lose one seat to a
Populist. New York is now represented
by twenty Democrats ana fourteen Re-
publicans. In many districts the cleo
tion may turn on local issues; but in
the opinion of the statistician whose
opinions have been quoted the chances
are that the Democrats will send
eighteen members to sixteen Republicans,
thus retaining control of the House. But
! the State is very uncertain. The present
| Ohio delegation consists of eleven Demo-
crats and ten Republicans. 1t is expected
that the Republicans will carry In Novem-
ber all but six districts. and possibly all
but five. Then they will count fifteen or
| sixteen of the twenty-one members, Of
| the thirty members from PENNSYLVANIA.
| ten are now Democrats and twenty Repub-
| icans. The calculation is that the latter
will gain one seat, thus reducing the DEM
ocraiic strength to nine. There will be
Populist or two from South Carolina, but
whenever they are needed they will vote
with the Democrats. The Republicans
will lose one vote in that State. Per con-
| ira, they. will gain one in Tennessee,
whose delegation now consists Of eight
Democrats and two Republicans; in the
| Fiftv-fourth it will probably stand three
Republicans to seven Democrats. Wis
consin sent six Democrats and four Re-
pubicans to the Fifty-third Congress; it
is expected that it will send FIVE or six Re-
pubicans to the FifGy-fOurth. Our stats
tician figures that there will be no change
! in the delegation from California; this is
not as clear to people on the spot as it may
| seem TO him.
II his calculations are correct, the Demo-
Gratis will still retain control of the House
| in the Fifty-fOurtb, and the legislation of
! the Fifty third will not be likely to be dis
! turbed, and in the event of the Presiden-
! tial election being thrown into the House,
the Democrats will probably have States
enough to elect him. But in politics, as in
other things, nothing happens but the un-
expected. This is undoubtedly the best
possible showing for the Democracy. 1t
! is a graveyard whistle which they will
march by until alter the November elec-
/ tions. Meantime, the Republicans will be
doing some work that will affect these
| figures.