New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-01
THE FIFTY-SIXTH CONGRESS-
IOWA PROMISES TO BE s1ANCHLY RE-
PUBLICAN. AS USUAL.

SLIGHT CHANCE THAT LACEY AND HEPBURN
MAY BE pErEATED-So DOUBT ABOUT
THE OTHER NINE DISTRICTS
fBY TELEGRAPH TO rnrBUxE.l
Oes Moines. Iowa. Oct. 31.-Of all the trans
Mississippi States Iowa has been and continues
to be the most stanchly and consistently He-
publican. Since 1860 her electoral vote mas
been given to successive Republican candidates
for the Presidency In the same period he'
representation In the United States Senate has
not only been continuously Republican, but she
has sent TO the lower branch Of Congress fewer
Democrats. Fusonists or Po,ulists than an!
other State in the Union of equal or greater
population. Not that Republicansm mere mas
not had to face as many and as serious periis
As have at times threatened its supremacy IN
Illinois Wisconsin and Minnesota. and have III
recent years actually broken It's power In han-
sas Nebraska and South Dakota Agitatiohs
for a greenback currency for prohibition ana loi
the regulation Of railroad rates had disturpe"
and darkened Iowa politics long before the iorce
OF the Populistic reaction OF 1890 and 1917 De-
gan to make itself felt. The greenoack anu
prohibition movements had cost the fepuoiCd"
party the control Of the State administra'io"
for several terms. had almost ended senator
Allisons term of service in 1889. and had car
ried into the lower house OF Congress nunoei
Of typical demagogues OF the earlier "inhatioh
period like James y. Weaver and "CaiaHh!
Weller.
But the long and bitter fight against green
backism had so educated and fortified the public
sentiment OF the State that 1t easily stood PROOF
against that singular fermentation OF granger
discomfort which was to sweep Mr. Cleveland
into the Presidency in 1902 and to eliminate in
the unsuccessful but startling free-silver coinage
campaign Of 1896 In the Congress elections OF
1890 Iowa was the one State in the Northwest
not driven absolutely from her old political
moorines Two or three seats In the HOUSE
were lost then, but all were readily regalheu
In 1892.
The campaign OF 1896 found this State the
single one beyond the Mississippi surely coun'eo
on at the beginning OF the Presidential canvass
to support the Republican nominee ana VIII"
good Re ason; for although devoted almost who"'
TO agriculture mo county having In 1871 popu-
lation OF more than $4,000 and two only popula-
tons of more than 10000. the people of Iowa
had already shown themselves far TOO ih'e'"-
gent prosperous and conservative to accept
political programme solely OF demagogic unrest
and discomfort. on the free-coinage issue t"e
Republican electoral ticket won two years ago !"
this State by plurality Of 65.432. only sixteen
out Of ninety-nine counties were carried by the
Bryan fusion electors. Last fall when Wv
ernor was to be chosen, the free-silver FORCES
united once more and made desperate cam
paign. The Republican candidate was p'o-
nounced and outspoken advocate Of the single
gold standard. and for an on year MS piu-
raIitv-29 9s7-was in every respect a significant
THE PRESENT CAMPAIGN NOT EXCITING
In the face OF these conditions 1t Is only mat
ural that the campaign just drawing 10 an emu
should seem to lack decidedly hoth SPIT" al"
axci,orent 4 few minor State Offices are to he
filed and a few judges are TO be choseh 'u'
rho success Of the Republican ticket has been
accepted generally a. a foregone conclusion ana
no effective work has been done or is being done
tor tho Democratic nominees. AS in most of the
Central Western States, two factions in the
Democratic organization are now manpuVring
for control in 1900 the one planning to retain
the free coinage Of silver as the paramount IS
sue the other hoping to rewrte the chicago
platform and to force other questions 10 inc
front Ex-Governor Horace Boes LEADS the lat
ter wing here. while perhaps the most active
and Influential advocate Of a repetition OF the
cannpaign Of 1896 is General James p. Weaver
ex- Populist and Greenbacker now the power
behind the Democratic Populst fusion In force
for the last three campaigns. Neither faction
is displaying a marked interest In the state can
vass General Viewers attention especially be-
ing absorbed In his own effort to defeat John F.
Lacey for reelection In the With Congress Dis
trjct Indeed. the interest in next Tuesdays
voting centres mainly in the fight for this seat
in the House and for two or three others per-
haps less endange ed
Iowa Ike Maine. has formed the good haolt
ft,I porr Gerta
to Washington. and to that habit owes In
great part the exceptional influence which
through its members it exercises in the House.
Six Of the present delegation are chairmen
Of committees The State has besides. the
ranking post next 10 the Speaker. on the all
powerful Committee on Rules and places on the
great committees OF Ways and Means. Foreign
Affairs the judiciary, Naval Affairs and Mill
tarv Affairs Six members have been renomi-
mated this fell among them all those OF the
longest service and greatest prominence.
SITUATION IN THE CONGRESS DISTRICTS.
Iowa's Congress districts may be grouped
together roughly in three divisions-four east
ern. running back from the Mississippi River;
five central and inland. and two western, slopins
10 the Missouri River Both eastern and west
ern groups are safely Republican-the two most
doubtful districts politically being In the south
ern central counties which touch the Missouri
border The Ist District when John II. Gear
ceased to represent IT on his promotion to the
Senate sent {. NJ. Clark Of Keokuk, to Con-
gress for two years He is TO be superseded this
year by Thomas Hedge Of Burlington This
district Is a small one, lying in the south
eastern angle Of the State and is safely Re-
publican In 1896 Mr. Clark's plurality was
3,295.
In the Id District further up the Missis-