Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-18
THE NEXT LEGISLATURE.

we gather from the Fredericksburg free
Lance that at the election on the so III
slant the Democrats carried sixty-hve OF
the 100 House Of Delegates districts ana
the opposition carried thirty-fve. OF the
twenty-one senatorial districts in whlch
there will be vacancies next year, the
Democrats carried fifteen and the oppos'-
tion carried six. OF the nineteen hoiu-
over senators eighteen are Democrats anu
one opposition; therefore says the free
Lance. which we are still quoting), had
the election been held for members OF the
Legislature. there would have been III
that body ninety-eight Democrats ana
forty-two opposition. a Democratic ma
3ority on Joint ballot Of fifty-six. In OF
der to retain a majority on joint banot
next year the Democrats Will have 10
elect only fifty-three senator's and dele-
Gates while the opposition would nave
10 elect seventy And in this connection
Il may be mentioned this senatorial dis
trict. composed .of Louisa, SpotsyiVania'
Stafford, and Fredericksburg, gave he-
publican majority
So il appears that to control the next
Legislature on joint ballot the Democrats
would have to elect only ffty-three seha-
tors and delegates. while the opposition
would have to elect seventy" And this
statement. remember comes from paper
which tries 10 be independent in politics
though we think il has Republican lean
ings.
So IL would appear that the Democratic
nosition in Virginia is well-nigh impreg-
nable. The city of Richmond and county
of Henrico alone will elect two senators
and six delegates next FAM and all OF
these. we may safely promise, will be
Democrats. But we may expect to do
much better throughout the State next
year than we have done this year Hanna
we suspect, has not yet done wondering
what became of the 10000 that he sent
TO Virginia during the recent campaign
and Notwithstanding the handsome eulo-
pium that he recently received from the
Richmond Times, we doubt if he VIII
bother with Virginia politics next year.
Nor will the big corporations and big
manufacturers be banded against US IN
1897 as they were this year. Nor VIII
"the majority of the gold Democrats
think IL desirable to continue their hght
as they have been advised by the Sound
Money League" of Richmond to do.
In short, nothing but a volcanic erup-
ton in politics, so to speak can prevent
the Democratic party from controlling
the next Virginia Legislature. But there
are a Governor. a observation-disclosures,
and an Attorney-General to electtoo? Yes;
hat. as we have said, and for the reasons
stated. we think that the Democrats Will
he able 10 do better on the State ticket
next year than they did this year. 1t Is
usually easier for Us to get large ma
Sority in a State election than in presl-
dental election, and we have the as
surance OF many Democrats who left us
on the currency issue that they Will re-
turn TO US In the coming election, ana
this notwithstanding the fact that the
next Legislature elects a United States
Senator. But our friends understand well
that Major Daniels term in the Senate
does not expire until March 4, 1893. ana
from their point of view they expect the
currency question to be settled long be-
fore that day.
we conclude. therefore, that it seems to
be a political impossibility for 'he Demo-
cratic party OF Virginia to fail g central
the next Legislature upon joint ballot
And we also hold that It IL exceedingly
unlikely that Hanna will trouble himself
20 raise money to send to Virginia merely
10 influence the election of Governor.
Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney-Gens