Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-18
Importance Attached to Them by
Republican Campaign Managers.
WILL FIGHT FORA MAJORITY OF STATES
Significance of This Policy in EIec-
ton of a President.
ATTACKING CLOSE DISTRICTS

The campaign managers Of the republican
party consider the coming congressional
elections as the most important that have
occurred In thirty years. They hold that
the result Of next November will have a
positive and direct bearing upon the subse
Quent presidential election. and that to a
certain degree the presidential campaign
will be waged between this time and the
second Tuesday in November.
1t can be authoritatively stated that the
republican managers in their councils have
decided to bend every effort in the coming
campaign toward gaining a majority of the
state delegations in the House This is
done for twofold purpose. One reason. of
course is that they want to carry the House
on general principles, but the main reason
is that they desire a majority of the states
IN the House in order that they may hold II
over the democrats as a club, to prevent
fusion with the poupIists in western states
In the presidential election.
Significance of This Policy.
The significance Of this policy is readily
apparent. If the democrats should have a
majority of the House by states they could
then direct their efforts in the presidential
campaign to throwing the election of the
President into the House. This would be
accomplished by combining with the popu-
lists IN western states which under ordi-
III
would not be necessary for the democrats
to look out for their presidential electors,
out to split up the vote for electors much
as possible between the three parties.
On the other hand, IL the republicans hold
the majority in the House by states the
democrats will be forced 10 make a straight
night for their presidential electors. They
must light both the populists and republi-
cans Tor their electors. They cannot COM
bine with populists anywhere. The result
will be that in certain western states the
republicans would be afforded a fair field
and square fight in the presidential cleo
tion unhampered by the onbination Of the
democrats and populists.
Where the Fight is Being Made.
Having determined upon this policy the
republicans are proceeding to attack the
democrats in their most vulnerable points
In the various congressional districts.
Wherever there is a democratic Congress-
nan who was elected to the Fifty-third
Congress by q SIT all majority, that is the
place where the republicans will make a
nght In every manufacturing district that
mas returned democrat a struggle will be
made to overturn the majority and send
back a republican.
In this respect the campaign may be said
to be warfare by sharpshooters The
republicans will pick off a man here and a
man there, preferring this to a general
onslaught, but II will be done with the sole
purpose OF changing the complexion OF a
state delegation. and that end will be In
view all the time For instance the state
Of Delaware returns but one Congressman
II the republicans capture that one man
IT will count just as much as the thirty
four Congressman from New York state
In the election of the President by the
House, and 1t would offset the carrying of
New York by the democrats. Thus I'm all
of the northern states having small delega-
tions in Congress, and in the states which
returned democratic Congressman by small
majorities in the landslide OF % the gain
of one or Two Congressman to the republi-
cans may offset the unanimous vote Of a
state like Texas for q presidential candi-
date two years hence.
What is Claimed Now.
The republicans claim that they are al
ready sure Of capturing a majority Of the
congressional delegations of twenty-six
states. not including Louisiana.
Thus 1t Is that the republican managers
attach far more importance to the necessity
Of obtaining a majority of the states than
an actual majority OF the House itself.