New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-22
THE SENATE or 1897.

Popular interest has been so engrOsSed this
voor in the eycitements of the Presidential can
vass that the struggle for supremacy in the next
Congress-less vital. perhaps. but still vastly I'M
porant-has so far passed practically unn0tIccd.
II is generally assumed. no doubt. that the great
or contest includes and determines the lesser,
and that a victory which will install one party
or the other in administrative power Is certain
to establish its control of the legislative depart
ment of The Government This assumption may
have reasonable foundation so far as the popt-
lar branch of Congress IS concerned For with
one exception-that of 1S16-no party has for
years elected a President without securing at the
same time a working majority in the House OF
Representatives But the Senate. from its very
genius and constitution the refuge of minorties,
has time and again shown its Responsiveness
TO majority opinion. and stubbornly maintained
the cause of a defeated party against its trium-
pbant enemies in the Executive department and
the popular legislative branch
The whole inertia of the Federal machinery is
concentrated in the Senate. and nothing short OF
a genuine political upheaval can be counted on
TO make appreciable ravagcs in its membership
or greatly disturb the balanced equilibrium Of
its marty divisions 1t need surprise no one.
therefore, If the Senate true to It's traditions Of
political isolation. were TO fail again as result
of this years elections 10 range itself with the
political party which captures the House OF
Representatives and the Presidency. For, though
It is conceivable that the upper house of Con
.gress. when it meets in December 1881, may
contain a majority Of straightout Republicans.
or even Il majority of Bryan Democrats, yet it
Is quite possible that the present conditions of
party chaos will continue, and that for two years
more the Senate will be split into dScordant mi
norItv factions. no one of them able to control its
organization or dictate Legislative policy. Tn
usual interest therefore. attaches to this year
fight in the various States for the control OF this
doubtful Federal chamber
Thirty-one seats in the Senate are to he filed
on March / next. The terms Of thirty Senator'S
of the class of 1891 expire on that day. one va
cancy in Delawarc's representation has existed
since March t. 1899. When the Senate adj
iourncd last June its membership was divided
thus on party lines: Republicans II. Democrats
80 Popuists g. Since the adoption of the Re
publican National platform AT St Louis six or
the forty-four Republicans Teller Of Colorado
Dubois Of Idaho Mantle of Montana Cannon
of Utah Squire of Washington and Petigrew
Of South Dakota-havc announced their with
drawal from the party, so that when The Senate
meets again in December the party divisions will
stand: Republicans Is. Democrats 81. Populists
and Silver Boilers II. On another line of cleav
age-free coinage and anti-frec conage-tbe op-
posing forces In ;hc Senate stood thus before
adjournment: For silver II. against silver II.
or the thirty-one Senators whose terms are 10
date from March next six have already been
chosen William Il. Allison has succeeded him
self from Iowa, as has George {. Perkins from
California. J. +. Foraker replaces Calvin :.
Brce from Ohio. and George l.. Wellington steps
into the shoes of Charles II. Gibson of Mary
land. Ex-Governor McEnery has beaten New
ton e. Blanchard for reelection in Louisiana. and
Representative fernando De Soto Money has
displaced James q George in Mississippi. These
six elections show Republican gain of two Sen
ate seats or the twenty-five States which have
still to elect. these five are sure 10 return Repub-
leans: Connecticut. New-IIampshre Vermont,
PENNSYLVANIA and Oregon. These five seem
pretty likely to return silver Democrats: Ala
bama. Arkansas. Florida. Georgia and South
Carolina. In Colorado. Idaho and Washington
Senators Teller Dubois and Squire, Republican
boilers. are struggling for reelection Squire and
Dubois will probably be replnced. one 10y Re
publican and one by Populist. From Nevada
John =. Jones is likely to succeed himself. while
in Kansas William \. PETERS reelection seems
highly uncertain. Kyle, of South Dakota, an
other Populist. is also Threatened with defeat.
Republican Senators seem sure 10 replace sitting
Democrats in New York. Indiana and Wisconsin,
and there is an excellent chance TO make another
party gain In Illinois Blackburn In Kentucky
Will be succeeded by either Republican or q