Arizona silver belt., 1896-08-20
CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS.

The Congressional elections of 1894 furnished the greatest surprises which had occurred in the field of politics for many years. It was really revolu- ton, changing the partizan complexion of the House from Democratic ma jority of S4 in the 53d Congress to a Republican majority of 135 in the 54th Congress.
 There must have been very strong provocation to induce the voters of States and districts which had previous ly been reliably Democratic to support the candidates of party for which they had no great antipathy. What was the reason of this revulsion of feel ing amongst voters ? It is not difficult to explain. Democrats had not been converted to Republican doctrine, in the twinkling of an eye, like Saul of Tarsus. It was simply disgust on their part with the Cleveland adminis- tration, and a derelict Democratic Con- gress, which had miserably failed to es- .ablish the reforms promised in the National Democratic platform of 1892. The Wilson tariff law was a shameful compromise, and the repeal of the sill yer purchase clause of the Sherman law was cowardly surrender to the gold men who had gained complete control over President Cleveland and his advisers.
 Was that not enough to have out ragged the feelings of every true Demo- crat and aroused within him feeling of righteous indignation against those who had proven recreant to their trust ? And the Democratic voters adopted the natural and most effective method of expressing their disapproval of their party's perfdy, and the severity of the verdict was the measure of their wrath. It was a merited rebuke, but it would be folly to assert that it involved the repudiation of Democratic principles It was rather a protest against those officials, servants of the people, who had abandoned the Democratic faith and worshipped at the shrine of man. mon. It was the first determined step taken by the Democratic masses to purge the party of its corrupt and traitorous leaders and restore the sim plicity and integrity of government which characterized the administration of Jefferson and Jackson.
 In the Congressional elections of 1894 there were 219 districts represented by Democrats in the previous Congress, which chose Republican Congressmen. Changes were not confined to few States, but we will cite these conspicu- ous examples: Missouri which was represented by 14 Democrats and one Republican in the 53d Congress now has 10 Republicans and 8 Democrats in the House; Indiana's delegation of II Democrats and 2 Republicans was changed to 13 Republicans; New York changed from 20 Democrats and 14 Republicans to 29 Republicans and 5 Democrats; Illinois, from II Republi- cans and II Democrats to 20 Repnbli. cans and ? Democrats. Many of the districts carried by the Republicans in 1894 were won on slender pluralities.
 This year the situation is radically different. Cleveland and the gold standard have been repudiated and the Democratic voters are united and en- thusiastic in their support of Bryan and Sewall, save the few disgruntled gold bugs whose votes will be more than counterbalanced by those of the Popu- lists and Free Silver party. In several of the most important doubtful States complete fusion between Democrats and Popnlists has been effected, which makes certain the election of fusion candidates. In nearly all the western States the Congressmen to be chosen will be free silver men.
 IL is hard to see where the Republi- cans can make any gains, but conced- ing that they may carry few Con gressional districts in the eastern States, now represented by Demo- crats, still they will be on the de- fensive on all debatable ground, and it is only question of how many districts they will lose. A change of 6S in the present conformation of the House would lose them control of that body and insure the passage of free coinage bill This result is not only possible but probable, and the election of Bryan and Sewell would insure Congress.
 
 Oscar Rogers is now confined in the