New-York tribune., 1896-10-03
THE SENATE AND SILVER.

Most important to the cause OF sound money.
and also TO industrial prosperity, is the con-
troll of the Senate. 1t would be only an uncer-
tain victory, if, after all their earnes'hesS
and defniteness Of purpose and grand revolt
against dangerous partisanship the people
should fail TO elect with the president ana
Vice President a Congress to sustain them. ke
garding the complexion Of the House there
is but little reason TO doubt. The 1rrcsstDie
ground swell which resulted in the tremendous
majOrites Of 1894 gives indication that on the
same issues. the people are not likely 10 eject
representatives hostile to the protection OF IN
dustries or to the maintenance of sound cur
rency But the Senate is always less resp0n-
sive to public opinion, and has been Tor many
years the stronghold of the silver interest,
because Of the wholly disprOportionate power
which the silver producing States have In that
body.
At present the battle for the Senate has not
an encouraging look for the adversary. Not
counting the silver men who have bOlted, there
are twenty-eight Senator's holding over VINO
stand on the Republican platform, ana have
given public assurance that they will abide
by It, In this statement Mr.. Carter OF Mon-
tana is included and It is also reported that
Mr.. Cannon Of Utah has taken the same pO-
sitiOn as respects the tariff. although continu-
ing to advocate silver coinage Ohio. Mary
land Illinois and Iowa have elected Rcpubli-
cans, and Connecticut. New-Hampshre, Yer
mont Pennsylvania. NewYOrk. Indiana. Wis
consin. the two DakOtas and Washington un-
doubtedly will. making fOrty-twO seats that
ought to be safe. There seems to be every
reason to believe. from recent adviceS. that
Kansas, Kentucky and Delaware will go the
same way. making forty-fve Republican Sen
ators which with the casting vote of the Vice
President would be enough. But there is also
growing probability Of success In California,
and possibility in Missouri. The situation is
rendered uncertain by local difficulties in Ore
| gon and in Delaware. although the Republi-
cans ought to elect a Senator in each State.
| Thus there is already strong reason for be
| licving that the coming President will have a
clear Republican majority in the Senate to
! support him, both on the money question and
on the tariff question. The silver Senator's who
bolted in the hope that they would receive
| some cOunenance at least from Democrats
| find their hopes Of n new party completed!
frustrated. and are not unlikely to seek recOg
milton mt the hands Of n Republican President
by abandoning their attitude Of hostility TO the
party and its principles. Whether any Of those
whose terms expire next March can be re-
elected is still an open question. In an!
event, the balance Of power which the silver
mine owners have SO long held Is well nigl
certain to be broken by the coming election
even though they may concentrate their ef
forts and their funds In a desperate hut belatet
effort to retain 1t. They threw away the bOn'
in the mouth, like the dog in the fable, II
trying to catch the shadow In the wnter ant
are beginning to see. as The Tribune warned
them long ago. that the worst days work the!
ever did for the selfish interest which governs