The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-15
FAILING IN. STRENGTH ENC Ii
Rough Roads in Front Of the
Republican Leaders.
HEAVY LOSSES LOOKED FOR
Not Only the Conduct of the War,
But Patronage Distribution Causes
Discomfort Among the Adherents
of the Administration Particularly
Democratic Gains Expected.

It is not to be denied that the doctors
in the Republican temple are quak'nS III
their boots at the prospects of a huge
falling off In their strength in the eiec-
ton which will be held within the next
sixty days With their depression there
is a corresponding elation in the Demo
cratic Businesses, where the results in
Maine and Vermont are looked upon as
finger posts to guide travellers on political
roads to the straight paths of victory
1t is to be admitted that the retention
of Mr.. AIger in the Cabinet, dilemma
that the President cannot in any comfort
cope with very easily, has something to
do with the situation.
The elections in Maine and Vermont,
Democrats over the high-tide mark. They
are regarded as the grand entry of a
mighty force behind them.
Congressional elections have already
been held in three States-Oregon, Yer
mont and Maine-and. although the Re-
publicans have elected all the representa-
lives from these States they are able to
gather encouragement from the Oregon
election alone. in both Vermont and
Maine the falling off in the Republican
vote was so large that If it should de-
crease in the same proportion all over
the country the next House would be
overwhelmingly Democratic
Despite the fact that the Democrats
propose to give prominence to the silver
issue and to stand by the Chicago plat
form as far as the campaign can be con-
trolled by the national committee the
prospects are that they will make more
decided gains in the East than in the
West. They will also gain in the South
Even the managers of the Republican
campaign admit that they will probably
lose number of districts in the East
but they hope 10 hold their own in the
West and possibly TO gain few districts
The practical question TO be solved is
whether they will lose enough districts in
the East and South 10 give the Democrats
control of the House. In the present
House of Representatives the. Republicans
have 2o2 seats, which is a majority of for
ty-seven over all. A loss of twenty-fo,ir
seats would, therefore, lose them control
OF the body and enable combination OF
Democrats, Populists and silver men to
! control
Much of the prospective Republican loss
IN the East is attributable to dissatisfac-
ton with the distribution of Fedral pa
tronage and to internal Quarrels among
the Republicans over State politics This
is particularly true in New York where
the Republicans fear they will lose sew
eral seats If the party cannot be har-
moniZed
The same is true of PENNSYLVANIA
Where from six TO eight districts may be
lost IL the Republicans fail TO get togeth-
er. A Democratic gain in New Jersey is
also expected
Inc democrats are expected to hold the
Ninth Massachusetts district which is
now represented by a Democrat-Dr
F1tzgerald-and it is possible that thew
may capture one or two other districts
though George Fred Williams is holding
the party so firmly to the Chicago plat
form in Massachusetts that the gold
Democrats will not return TO the party.
as they are doing in some other States
where concessions are being made to
| them.
in the Southern States there is danger
that the Republicans will lose all that
tney now hold with the possible excep-
ton of two North Carolina and two
tennessee districts. In those States ii is
dissatisfaction with the distribution of
the patronage that is doing the Repubif-
cans the most harm. The danger of Re-
publican losses in the West are most
grave in Ohio and Illinois, where mu-
| nicipal politics in Cincinnati and Chica-
go Will cut considerable figure
While II seems to be PROBABLE that the
Republicans will lose the House of Rep
resentatives, they have fair chance TO
obtain safe majority in the Senate as
| the result of legislative elections in
States which have senator's whose term
| of service will expire next March They
| have already forty-three senators, and
a gain of only three would give them a
| majority over the Democrats, Populists
and silver Republicans combined
One of these has already been gained
| in the election of Judge McComas, to
| succeed Senator German Another is as
| sured by the election of a Republican
| legislature in Oregon. Three more seats
are claimed as practically sure to be won
| by the Republicans. These are the ones
now occupied by Senator Murphy of New
York, Senator Smith of New Jersey and
| Senator Mitchell of Wisconsin