Omaha daily bee., 1898-01-21
EJECTIoNs OF '0S.
Coming Contest for Control of the
House and senate.

Philadelphia Press (rep)
The most important political events OF the
year 1898 will be the election of the members
OF the house of representatives of the Fifty
sixth congress and the choice of the state
legislatures which will elect successors TO
the United States senators whose terms eN-
pire Ma1 ch T. 1899 A full house OF repre-
sentdtives, numbering 357 members, will be
chosen to take the place of the present house
The terms of thirty senators will also end
with the present congress, but as two seats
have already been filled and the legislature
which is to elect third is now in session
there will be twen:y-seven legislatures
choseu this year to elect United States
senators to the Ffty-sixth congress. There
will also be twentyeight governors OF states
elected, beginning with the election in Rhode
Island April 6, and host of minor state
officers
There is some question as to the rarty
standing OF a few members of the present
house OF representatives.. but what Is prob
ably the most trustworthy division gives the
repubt,aus 20i. the democrats 1913. the popu-
lists q aud the silverltes, 3; total, 357
majority of the house is 179 and the re-
pubicans can retain that number and lose
twenty-five seats. But If they lose twenty
six they will be reduced to a minority. 1t is
probable that there will be changes resulting
in losses and gains to all parties. In the
case OF the republicans 1t must be remem-
bered that twenty-five of their oumber In
the present house came from the southern
states, but most of them are from districts
which are likely to continue to send repub-
licans to congress. And in view of the grow
ing manufacturing interests in the south 1t
would not be surprising II the number of re-
publicao protectionists from that neighboT-
hood were increased in the Fitty-siXth con-
gCess The congressional election midway
between two presidential elections often re-
suits dsastrously to the party in power, but
there are no such decided indications that
this Will be the case this year as were seen
in 1890 and 1894. There are local differences,
but there are nc divisions in the republican
party az to it's naticua policy. With union
and harmony in this respect the party should
be able to retain control of the next house of
representatives and possibly increase its
present majority.
1t is as important for the republicans to
regain control of the senate as it is to re
tain majority in the house. There will
probably be little less difficulty in accom-
plishing the former than the latter OF the
thirty United States senators whose terms
expire March 4, 1899, eleven are republicans.
fifteen are democrats, three are silverites and
one is a populst. The names of these
senator's and the states from which they come
are as follows Republicans: Aldrich, Rhcde
Island; Burrows, Michigan; Clark, Wyoming;
Davis, Minnesota; Hale, Maine; Hanna, Ohio;
Hawley, Connecticut; Lodge Massachusetts,;
Proctor, Vermont; Quay, Pennsylvania, and
u,
Tennessee; CockreM. Missouri Daniel,
Virginia; Faulkner, West Virginia. Money,
Mississippi; German, Maryland; Gray, Della
ware; Mills, Texas; Mitchell, Wisconsin;
Murphy, New York; Pasco Florida; Roach,
North Dakota: Smith. New Jersey; Turpie,
Indiana, and White OF California. Silvertes:
Cannon, Utah; Mantle. Montana end Stewart,
Nevada Populist: Allen, Nebraska. OF |
these prospective vacancies two have already
been filled by the reelection of Senators
Han in Ohio and Daniel in Virginia. The |
legislature which is to choose Mr.. GOrman's !
is now in session in Maryland |
This leaves twenty-seven seats to fill The |
senate as it now stands with one seat vacant |
consists of forty-three republicans, thirty |
one democrats nine silverites and six popu- |
lists. clear majority of full senate is |
forty-siX, and to obtain this the republicans |
must gain at least three senators. |
OF the eleven prospective vacancies on the |
republican side Of the senate only two appear |
to be in doubt-those from Wyoming and |
Washington. If pOpulists or silvertes are |
elected from both these states the republicans |
will then need to gain five senators to give |
them a majority in the senate. They have |
already gained one in Maryland and the |
prospects are bright for them to gain several |
more. The states which now have republican
legislatures and in which a democratic
senator's term will expire with this congress
are California, Indiana, New Jersey, New
York North Dakota, West Virginia and Wis
2onsin. In all these states the election OF re-
publican legislatures and the choice of re- |.
publican senators are highly probable. If all
)f them are carried the republicans will
gain with Maryland eight senators Increasing
heir number in the senate, If Wyoming and
Washington are lost, to forty-nne, or three
more than is necessary to a majority. There
S good chance also of gaining a republican
senator in Delaware. So the prospects of |
obtaining a majority in the next senate are
bright. And with harmony in the party and
good nominations majority in the house
should be elected also, giving President Nc.
hinley full congressional support during the
asst two years of his present term.