The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-12
The consressionaI cnmpnigns.


Very little is being said in the newspa-
pers about the congressional campaigns.
and very little is heard about them either
in Washington or the Congressional dis
trfcts. The congressional campaign COM
mittees, however, are at work doing what
they can for their respective parties. But
they are finding 1t difficult to get the beo-
pie to take much interest in politics. The
public mind is almost wholly occupied
with the war. War news is what is
wanted, not political news
The impression among the political lead
ers at Washington, both Democratic ana
Republican, is that the war gives the Re
publicans an advantage. 1t is argued
that many who are not Republicans viii
vote the Republican ticket, simply to
show the world that the country sus-
tains the President in carrying on the
war. OF course, IL the war should come
to an end before the November elections
this reason would not nave much weight.
But if the war should be brought to a sue
cessful close before the November cleo
tons the tendency of the independent
voters would be to support the Repubn-
can party, because the party under whose
administration successful war is fought
generally has the sympathy OF the people.
Another thing that may hurt the chances
of the Democrats is that the silver ques-
ton is not comma nding as much atten-
ton as 1t did. In the west the high price
of wheat has about convinced the farmers
that silver hasn't anything to do with the
price of wheat. Hence. they are not de-
handing the free coinage of silver. In
the cities, among the wage earners, sill
yer isn't gaining any friends, because
that class of people know that If the coin
age of silver should be made free their
wages wouldn't be increased, while the
chances are that the prices of the neces-
saries of life would rise. especially If the
country should be forced to a silver ba-
sis. Therefore. it doesn't look as if the
free silver issue could do the Democratic
party any good in the congressional cleo
tons.
Among the many reports there is cne
that is worth especial attention. 1t is that
Congressman Bailey, the Democratic lead
err of the House, and some of the other
Democratic leaders are thinking seriously
of the advisability of saying as little as
possible about the silver issue in the fail
campaign--not because they have lost
faith in silver but because they think
the Gold Democrats hold the balance Of
power and they want them to get back
into the ranks of the Democratic party.
In many of the states the Gold Democrats
are preparing to nominate Congressional
tickets of their own. II they could be
brought back to the Democratic party The
Democrats would stand a much better
chance for carrying the next House.
1t would be difficult matter, of course.
to get. the Silver Democrats to make any
concessions to the Gold Democrats. Only
a week or two ago one of the Democratic
representatives from Washington attacked
those Gold Democrats of the House who.
voted for the revenue bill. because the
bill contained a provision authorizing an
issue of bonds. The attack brought on a
debate which, in the opinion of Representa-
tive Bailey was extremely hurtful to
the Democratic party. The Republicans
tried to make it appear that the Demo-
Gratis were trying to make the war a fail
ure. with the hope of making political
capital out of the failure. No such in
ference could. of course, be legitimately
drawn from the debate. As a matter of
fact the Democrats are just as anxious
that the war shall be a successful one
as the Republicans are. Still. il is not
very difficult matter to make mistakes
which can be made to give a contrary
impression. The attack on the Gold
Democrats of the House appears to have
been mistake of that sort.
1t Is too early to say with any degree of
certainty what the chances of the Demo-
Gratis are for carrying the next House. but
it is certain that in order to carry it the
management of the Democratic Congress-
ional campaigns must be able and aggres-
sive. Weak campaigns marred by mis-
takes. would produce but one result,
namely, defeat.