New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-28
FORECAST OF NEXT HOUSE.
TWENTY SEVEN REPUBLICAN MAJORITY
BY CHAIRMAN BABCOCKs FIGURES.

BY CHAIRMAN BABCOCKS FIGURES.
HE ESTIMATES THAT THE REPUBLICANS WILL
CARRY 1872 DISTRICTS AND THE COM
BINEp OPPOSITION ie5-HARD WORK
STILL. NECESSARY.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNEl
Washington Oct. 27-To-day, for the nrst
time since the beginning Of the campaign Chair-
man Babcock Of the Republican Congressional
Committee consented to make public his forecast
Of the probable result which, as he Is careful 10
remind the country and will be achieved II
the present aggressive campaign Is contnueu
and every Republican does his fuh duty rus"
thngs.' is his injunction. and he seems az coh-
fdent that II will be observed by loyal Repubh-
cans and earnest and sincere sound-mohey
Democrats as General Grant was that MS MS
toric and laconc order to General Sheriuah
would be obeyed when the fate Of General Lees
army hung In the balance.
II Chairman Babcock had been required TO
publish a political forecast three weeks or
even one week ago. II would have been much
less favorable than the one he issued to-day
and month ago II would have been aosoiu,eV
dlshearening to every supporter OF the ADMIN
istratIon All appreciate this fact who have
the campaign thus far. In fact. their hopes and
expectations did not begin to expand until WIN
in the last week when Chairman Babcock
cheerfully said that things are beginning to
come way"
MR. BABCOCK's FIGURES.
The forecast is as follows:
The present House consists OF POI Repuoh-
cans and 80 Democrats Populists and FUSION
a Rppublican majority
all. From the hes. information obtainapIe ana
from trustworthy reports from every dlstrict ~
the Union the indications are now tnat the
Republicans will elect 1S4 members, when: TO-
gether with tn eight already elected lrUIn TON
Maine. Vermont and oregon. VIII MAKE ~,
members Of the LVIth Congress Tms WouIu
give them a working majority Of twenty-seven
over all do not see how this NUMBER can DE
reduced II the r'rty continues its present ag
gressive campaign. but to achieve this result ~
will he necessary for every Republican to do MS
full duty.
In some respects the estimate made public to-
day is an unsatisfactory one TO men who are
familiar with the elements which enter into
ard modify the general results They know
that some OF the Congress districts counted to
make the opposition total Of 16o are districts
which ought to be in the Republican column.
II they are not found there the night OF
Election Day It will be because Republicans
have not done their full duty.
1t is a high tribute not only to the political
sagacity and thoroughness Of Chairman Bah
cock but also TO his political conservatism and
conscientiousness, that his estimate is generally
accepted a safe one by newsgatherers IN
Washington whose partisan sympathies are not
allowed 10 obscure their judgment, and VIII ne
generally regarded as fair one. He has earned
this tribute by his successful management OF
the last two Congress campaigns. as we'll as by
H. tfct,, Dfb lie p.tr atp;
always erred. when they have erred at all In
|. .beirg more generous to the opposition than the
re suit justified. Chairman BabcOck naturally
and properly declines to make public at this
stage of the campaign the details on which
his forecast is based. Men 10 whom these de-
tails have been exhibited and who are COM
petent to Judge declare that the estimate Is
conservative and safe one, and may be ex-
ceeded by the actual results, u Republicans DO
their full duty.
THE REPUBLICAN CHAIRMAN's STATEMENT
Chairman Babcock prefaced it with the follow
ing observations. the pertinency and force OF
which will be recognized and appreciated:
This campaign has been very different from
the campaigns of 1894 and 1896. from the fact
that so many new conditions have come to the
front In the campaign Of lS94 the people gen
orally had become thoroughly out of patience
with the Wilson bill and the Democratic policy
l
ing a large Republican majority in the LINth
Congress- but were unable to take any action as
To tariff matters until after the election OF 1876
H. the Presidential election the lines were
closely drawn. The Republican party was in
favor Of sound money and protection. Its views
far a. protection Is concerned nave pes,.
enacted into law and confidence has taken the
place of dstrus. in financial circles. not only
at home but the world over, and we near not
word even OF the endless chain; ,,.,.,uo
During the present campaign the AdmlnlStra'
tion has prosecuted the most successful war
known to modern history. Notwithstandlne the
brilliant achievements Of the Army ana Navy
the Democratic party and its allies nave Ell
doavored to belittle and criticise. not so much
the results Of the war as the methods OF the
War Department. seeming to forget tnat war
means pestence. sickness and death ne i@dclo @
in regard to the conduct Of the war have been
shown I'D completely and the criticism ana the
attemnted opposition to the Administration on
this account have fallen fiat. and the chanse
of sentiment during the last month, ana es-
pecially during the last two weeks IN 'nis re-
spect has been simply wonderIu,, 1ar,.o,, 90 era,-
The anpointment Of Coin harvey as hHa
cial manager by the joint committee appointed
by Chairman Jones OF the Democratic CON i
mittee. consisting OF eX-GoN-r12r stone ol @ 'iio
souri, ex-Gove-nor Altgeld Of Illinois, senator
Teller of Colorado. and Senator Allen, or Ne,
braska to take charge Of the financial part OF
their campaign, indicated at once the desIs'l vi
the opposition TO bring squarely TO the front the
free coinage Of silver on a Dass OF Ii TO /. as
advocated I'm 1S.hi The result Of this action has
been far-reaching and has been an element or
rreat strength 20 the Republican Campaign.
districts that were considered doubtful four
weeks ago are now safely Republican. The
Sound Money Democrats who were haltng as
between n support OF their old organization on
state issues and the dangerous fallacy Of fiat
money. have announced their intention TO sup
port the Republican Congress nominees IN
almost every state OF me thloh' ana LOT lne
los, two weeks repOrts received at headquar-
tors show that tho trend OF public sentiment
is to indorse the present Administration ana
give Mr.. Mckinley a Republican House tna'
IAN ha dennnded upon to support him in the in
terest of sound money. I'm the adjustment or the
great questions growing out OF the war. ana
10 take advantage OF the opportunities offered
fo- commercial supremacy
This change Of sentim, mt in this campaign