The herald., 1898-11-10
KERR EQUALLY CERTAIN
THAT VICTORY HAS BEEN WON
BY DEMOCRATS
RETURNS COMING SLOWLY
But the Prospects Indicate That Re-
publican Boasting Is Premature
and May Be Unwarranted
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
| WASHINGTON, Nov. 9.-Chairman Bah
cock of the Republican congressional COM
mittee said this evening that the house of
representatives of the Fifty-sixth congress
would be Republican without doubt.
Throughout the day and evening a corpt
of political statisticians have been at work
in the Republican headquarters compiling
the returns.
In statement to the Associated Press
this evening Chairman Babcock said:
''There can no longer be a reasonable
doubt over the political complexion of the
next house of representatives. 1t will ba
Republican, beyond the shadow of doubt.
Our advices show the certain election of l85
Republicans, six more than enough to give
us control These the straight Republicans
and our majority will be over the combined
opposition. Our information induces us to
place nine districts in doubt. These are the
Seventh in California, the Third, Fourth,
Fifth and Sixth in Nebraska the Seven
teenth, Nineteenth and Twenty ninth in
Pennsylvania and the Twelfth in Texas. Wa
are reasonably certain to get some of them.
Without them, however, we have clean
majority and are resting perfectly easy.
"The Sixth Iowa, which was in doubt for
time, has certainly elected Representative
Lacey, Republican. In Kentucky we have
elected not only Seitz in the Tenth, but
Pugh in the Ninth. In Kansas we have q
solid delegation, although it was not until
this evening that we put kirkpatrick of the
Third district in the certain Republican col
umn. In Maryland we concede the defeat
of Jackson in the First district and Nc
Intyre in the Fourth; Minnesota returns
solid Republican delegation, Judge Morris
having defeated Charles Towne in the Sixth
district; in Massachusetts we concede the
election of Democrats in the Third, Ninth
and Tenth districts; according to our ad-
vices the delegation from New York will
stand Is Republicans and 10 Democrats; In
North Carolina we claim the election Of
White in the Second district and Linney in
the Eighth, but we may be counted out in
both of them. In Pennsylvania the delega-
ton stand 20 Republicans, Democrats and
8 doubtful. Texas stands l Republican, IL
Democrats, l doubtful, the Twelfth district,
and in West Virginia we carried the First,
Second and Fourth districts, while the op-
position carried the Third.
'From our view point that is the situation
as it is tonight. l fully believe that the re-
turns we shall receive tomorrow will in
crease the figures 7 have made toniphtn
DEMOCRATS ALSO CONFIDENT
At the headquarters of the Democratic
congressional committee, confidence is ex-
pressed that the Democrats will control the
next house Of representatives. Secretary
Kerr will not concede any of the claims
made by Chairman Babcock of the Repub-
lican committee and says that in a large
number of districts it will require the Off
cial count to definitely determine the result.
1T is certain" said Secretary Kerr to the
Associated Press, chat we have elected 1888
members of the next house, the Republicans
! 1853, and that IL districts are doubtful. In
New York we will have 81 members, in
Pennsylvania 8 and pephaps TO- in Kansas
at least and and perhaps 5. In Nebraska
4, in North Carolina and in California 2 or
8. Information is slow in coming in because
the count in so many districts is very close.
Our figures are based upon definite returns
and l am satisfied that they are entirely 40