Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-07
The Populists May Hold 1t in the
Senate.
DIFFICULTIES IN ORGANIZATION
What the Third Party Men May
Demand.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS


have control of the next Senate by holding
the balance of power after the 4th of
March. 1885, Just what this signifies can
not now be foretold with accuracy. for the
number of possible combinations that the
third-party men might make either with the
republicans or democrats are quite nun:er-
ous.
The republicans are very badly handicap
ped in this election with regard to the SEN
ate as they have a large margin to gain
over the now dominant party, owing to the
latter's majority among the hold-overs.
In order to present an intelligent view of
the situation it should be stated that Of
the Senators who are now sitting whose
terms expire in 1897 eleven are republicans,
fifteen are democrats and three are inde-
pendents or populsts. Of the twenty-six
sitting members retiring in 1899 nine are
republicans, fifteen are democrats and two
are populiSts. This makes u total of twen-
'ty republicans, thirty democrats and five
populists among the nold-over Senators.
Large Number to BE Elected.
There is an unusually large number of
Senators to be elected by legislatures chosen
yesterday. or previously, to take their seats
on the 4th of next month. The ordinary
classification of "'95 Senators" includes
thirty, but to these are added three seats in
the northwest, one each from Montana,
Washington and Wyoming, which have
been vacant since a year ago last spring,
owing to the action of the Senate in refus-
ing to admit Mess-s. Allen. Mantle and
Beckwith. This makes a total of thirty
three Senators to be chosen for the incom-
ing class, not counting the seat now occu-
pied by Senator Perkins of California, who
was appointed by the governor TO fill the va
cancy caused by the death of Leland Stand
ford. Includ .ng this seat there are thirty
four new men to come to the Senate next
m onth, an altogether unusual number.
OF the incoming Senators seven have al
ready been chosen, as follows: Democrats,
Virginia; Morgan, Alabama, and Walthall,
Mississippi Republicans, Dolph, Oregon,
and Gear, Iowa. OF the remainder the
democrats will, it seems, elect successors TO
Berry, Arkansas; Coke, Texas; Lindsay.
Kentucky; Ransom, North Carolina; four in
number. The republicans will gain the seats
now occupied by three democrats, Cam
den, West Virginia; Martin, Kansas. and
Mcpherson. New Jersey Present indtca-
tions are that they will re-elect republicans
to succeed Carey Of Wyoming, Chandler,
New Hampshire; Cullen, Illinois: Dixon,
Rhode Island; Frye, Mair e: Higgins, Dela-
ware; Hoar. Massachusetts,; Mcmillan,
Michigan; Pettigrew, South Dakota; Power.
Montana; Shoup, Idaho; Washburn, Min
nesota, and Walcott Colorado; thirteen in
oil. The pcpulists Will probably gain one
recruit in Governor Tillman, who is to sue
coed Senator Butler. 1t Is probable that
Tillman will announce himself as populist,
or ally himself with the third party men.
Two Seats In Doubt.
This leaves two seats in doubt, that of
Harris of Tennessee, a democrat, aud Man
derson Of Nebraska, a republican. The re-
turns from both states are meager and un-
satisfactory, especially in regard to the Leg
lslatures. In Nebraska Bryan, at present
Congressman, has made a tremendous
canvass for the Senate fusion ticket
against Senator Manderson. The fusion
state ticket seems to be defeated, and the
few Indications at hand are that the legis-
lature will be republican on joint ballot by
a small majority
In Tennessee there has beer a most sur
prisng result. This state, which has al
ways presented a solid demccra front,
seems now to have elected republican
governor by about 12,COO plurality. If this
be true 1t is possible that the legislature.
which is to elect a successor to the vener-
able Senator Harris, chairman of the Dis
trict committee in the Serate, may also be
republican. Ser ator Harris has, however
great personal popularity in the state and
1t is to be presumed, in the absence of def
mite returns, that this element has overcome
the republican tendency.
At all events it will be fair to give in this
estimate a republican Senator from Ne
braska and a democratic seat from Ten
reSSeo, thus dlSpoSlng evenly OF the TWO
doubtful states.
All this tends to the following result: OF
the ordinary seats to be filed in the 1901
class" of Senators the republicans have
probably elected 10. the democrats 10, and
the populists one. In addition, the republi-
cans will likely have the three seats from
the northwest already mentioned, making
AZ in all. The democrats will thus have 40,
and the populists g, a total Of IS Senators,
Of which number As is a majority.
What the Republicans Will Need.
Thus under this favorable estimate the
republicans are three short of majority
and two short of tie. Should Senator Har-
ris be succeeded by a republican the Senate
would then stand. on the basis of this cal
culation: Republicans As, democrats 80.
populists 6.
Thus it is seen that in order to secure a
tie vote in the Senate the republicans will
thought to be republican. There is no such
state in view, and the question therefore
seems to be whether the democrats can re-
duce this lead of the republicans or whether
the populists can maintain the balance of
power, which they seem most likely to do.
In considering the question of the organ
ization Of the Senate by this curious mix
ture of members the closest attention must
be paid to the composition of the little party
of Independents who stand between the two
great parties and actual majority. OF
avowed populists, elected such and voting
as SUCH there are but three-Peffer of Kan
sas Kyle of South Dakota and Allen of
Nebraska. These men are stanch third
party Senators, firm in their adherence to
the theories of populsm and 1t is not to be
expected that they will do otherwise than to
insist upon the shrewdest bargain possible
with the republicans or the democrats for
the organizat ton of the Senate. PETER usu-
ally allies himself with the republicans, ex-
cept when populistic questions are involved,
while Allen and Kyle have come to be
known as assistant democrats" through
their frequent aid to that party in its fights.
Senators Stewart and Jones.
The next two members of the third party
in the Senate were so recently republicans
and their conversion to populism was so
sudden, that 1t is difficult now to make any
calculation upon their probable career dur
ing the next two years. These are Stewart
and Jones of Nevada. Stewart was elected
as a republican, although he announced him
self soon after member of the silver
party" Jones was a republican up to few
months ago. when the political world was
astounded by his own announced conversion
to populism The nearest estimate of the
action of these two Senators is that they
will move as actuated by their allegiance
to the theory of the free coinage of silver
1t is not to be doubted that, If they fail to
stand with the populsts as a compact party
holding the balance of power, these two men
from Nevada will seek to make the best