Evening star., 1898-11-12
DEMOCRATS RESIGNED
Admit Their Failure to Control the House Of
Representatives
Some Feel ReIic>cd Prem RESPONSE
bility-internnI Nissensians
in the Party.

Democrats generally are resigned to their
failure to get possession OF the House OF
Representatives Any claim that the ques-
ton is not definitely settled that the repuh-
lica rs will have control is merely formal,
based on the IDEA that it might affect the
situation in some particular districts. Many
democrats feel a sense of relief, not that
II ey did not desire the House, but because
they fora5aw that If they got control at
this time the conditions within the party
We're such that it would be threatened with
disruption by internal disagreements. There
will be 40 speakership to fight over for
them now, and they have some nope that
| in the abs nee of responsibility for legisla-
ticn they may he able to avoid an open dis
play of tn il differences 1t is understood.
however, that they will not be able to en-
tirely avoid controversy over the leader
ship.
To Contest Dir. Bniiey's Leadership.
Efforts are now being made to insure a
contest of Mr., Baileys leadership in cau-
GUS with view Of directing the party Into
different line of policy from that which
Mr.. Bailey advocates Had the democrats
succeeded in eiectmg a majority Of the
House several candidates would have con-
tested with Mr.. Bailey Tor the speakership.
The temptation to enter into sdch a contest
is not great, but lest candidates should
abandon the idea of Il contest efforts are
aifeddy beihS made to insure the presence
o. at ieast one rival TO Mr.. Bailey in the
caucus. IL effCrtS are successful in getting
up such q contest the question of foreign
policy and the influence of the eastern ele-
lheht IN the democracy will play an impor
! t"ht part, ana 1t is likely that the differ
enceS Of opinion which exist will he dis
played almost as prominently as if the
party were IN position of responsibility.
a shaking Up of ,he Party.
A struggle to influence Abe course Of
the democracy in the future is al
ready foresh& dOwed, and it appears
very probable that there will be a
very decided shaking up in the party be-
tween now and 1900. The radical silver
men are going to be attacked on two sides.
FIRST by the eastern element, which will
be very strongly represented In the minori-
y IN Congress, who will contend that the
democratic hopes based on free silver in
the west have been blighted by the result
OF the election and that the future of the
parry VIII depend ON the east being again
| brought int line by the abandonment of
the silver question. And secondly, they
Will be attacked in a more indirect way
py 'ile element which, while not hostile to
silver, Will De determined to give promi-
nence TO issues growing out of the war
with Spain and the adoption by the admin
l:trauon of Il policy of expansion. A good
many democrats believe that an immense
amount of political capital can be made
during the next two years out of the course
OF the administration in dealing with Cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines. They rec
! ognize that the problems confronting the
administration in this matter are very diff
hcult, and, that no matter how widely
they are dealt with, the President cannot
escape criticism from some quarter nor
avoid some embarrassment which might
be turned to political advantage by an op-
posing party.
Tempting Pros poet.
Ifis presents so temptingsa prospect that
some who would not wfllfuly advocate the
abandonment of the free silver issue are
deVotlng much more time to its consdera-
ton than they are to the Chicago plat
form issue BY some it is felt to be al
most inevitable that, the settlement of our
colonial policy being the uppermost ques-
tcfi or consideration before Congs ess, poit-
lcal thought will be focused upon it and is
sues will grow out of the discussion which
cannot rail- to take prominent position in
the politics of the next two years, and
| which will serve to assist in the effort
which will be made within the democratic
party TO haze the money question relegat-
Eed TO secondary position.