Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-29
THE FALL ELECTIONS
Congressman Getting Ready for the
Coming Campaign.
IMPORTANCE OF CARRYING INDIANA
What Democratic Representatives
Of That State Say.
CLEVELAND'S LATEST LETTER

From indications about the hotels and at
the Capitol there would seem to be not
more than twenty-five or thirty Congress
men In Washington today. There were not
more than six at the Capitol during the
day. They have rushed of with remarkable
pTomptness to look after their districts.
Those remaining are talking very gravely
about the campaign about to open. The
Cleveland letter to Catchings was seized
upon with avidity by the democrats yester-
day as pointing out a line Of defense of
their failure. For the moment they were
pleased to find a great deal Of comfort in
the fact that he had spoken again and had
sent out a retriever for his Wilson letter.
Gloomy Talk Indulged In.
few hours consideration appears. how
ever, to have dispelled much Of this Joy,
and much gloomy talk is being INDUCED in.
In figuring on holding the House in the
next Congress all democratic calculations
are on what can be done in the north.
They count on the south standing with
pretty nearly its usual solidity. In Ala
bama, however. they say that they are al
most sure to lose one and may lose two
Representatives. AS to the situation in In
diana, considerable interest and anxiety is
manifested. Taking information solely from
ton there would seem to warrant the anx-
iety manifested. ...t.. .r. ,.-
Most Of the eleven districts they now
bold are held by pluralities. not majorities,
and they owe their large representation to
the fact that the populists polled about
twenty-four thousand votes, coming very
largely from the republicans. At this falls
election 1t is anticipated that there will
be a considerable increase in the populist
vote, the increase coming almost exclu-
sively from the democrats, who are dis
satisfied with the result Of the tariff fight
and who hold strongly to silver With but
narrow margin in several of the dis
tricts this presents a serious situation for
the democrats.
Importance of Indiana. ..-
In striving for the next House 1t Is very
important to the democrats that they hold
as many as possible of their districts from
Indiana. Judge Holman said today that the
prospect was Frightening for the democrats.
but that 1t was a doubtful situation, and
that there would be a hard fight with the
popuists, who were the common enemies
of both parties in the state. Representative
Brookshre says that during the past two or
three weeks there has been great picking
up Of democratic hopes throughout the
state
An interest is being shown in the prepara-
tion for the campaign which has been sur
pl ising in view Of the depressed condition
in which things were a month ago. He says
more than one Of the districts they now
hold. Not long ago there was a great deal
of depression In the party In his state be-
cause OF disappointments OF the tariff legis-
lation, but reports from local leaders, he
says, indicate a change in the feeling from
one of disgust to one Of determination to
accept what they can get and continue the
fight vigorously for more reform Of the
tariff. He thinks Cievelands letter to
Catchings Is going to help considerably.
Mr.. BrOOkshire ON Cleveland's Letter.
Speaking Of this letter, he says:
LAS l interpret the spirit Of the letter
from a careful reading, 1t Is about this:
The President means to say that he claims
to be no better than his party, that he
stands with his party. and that he is proud
of his party and its principles; that he
thinks the Senate bill much better than
the Mckinley bill; that 1t is a step in the
right direction, and that 1t will give re-
lief to the tax-ridden people But he has
refused to sign the bill because he pre-
poses that the tariff question shall be kept
at open issue until the same Is properly
settled. In other words, that the war is
on for thorough, genuine tariff reform. and
moreover, that those few Senators who, by
their treachery, have prevented a speedy
fruition OF democratic hope shall not be
forgiven nor forgotten. Seeing his letter
In this light 1 am satisfied with the course
he has pursued with reference to our tariff
bill. and l think the country will sustain
his position"
What Other Representatives Think.
Representative Martin says that, while
he has not been home, the Information he
gets indicates that things are Frightening
up for the democrats. During the past two
weeks, he says. there seems to have been a
considerable change in the situation There
has been relief of the great strain, and
the democrats are generally more hopeful
and in better trim for the hard fight which
they must make. - -.-. -. 4
Representative McNagny said that his
party would have a hard fight to hold their
own in Indiana.
He thought they would carry the state
ard elect nearly as mary members as they
have now, but 1t would take hard fight
to do 1t. They were in danger, he said, of
losing two members, but he thought they
would save all but one. He is not an out
and-out silver man himself, but he says 1t
will be impossible to keep that question
down, and 1t will give the party some trou-
BILE.
The popuists. too, will probably be aided
by the dissatisfaction at the failure of
Congress to do all that was desired with
the tariff. The Cleveland letter to Wilson
will be burden to carry, and the Catch
ings letter, he thinks, will help only a little
toward relieving the burden. Looking the
situation squarely in the face, however, he
thinks his party will win out all right.