The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-15
rHE NExr
DinacuIties Put in the Way Of Domoerats By
Past Populiat Fusion.


Past POpulist Fusion.
WASHINGTON, July 14.-Al OF the members
| OF the House OF Representatives OF the Fifty
sixth Congress who have been elected mp to
this time are Republicans-R rather inau-
spicious beginning for a campaign In which.
six months ago. the Democrats and Populists
expected to win offhand. The greatest trouble
Of the Democrats Is due to their uncertainty
as to what 1t is advisable for them to do
In the making OF their Congress nomina-
lions, whether to fuse with the Populists
and ~silverite Republicans, as In 1895. or to
discard all political association with Pop
ulists and thus seek to win back Democrats
lost In 1895. but who we're regained In local
elections on State or local issues In 1897. more
particularly In New York and Chicago.
The total membership Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives.e exclusive OF Territorial delegates. 10
1857. OF which the Republicans had 2o3 in the
last House. The straight Democrats" num-
bered 125. and in order to keep these seats
Democratic concessions TO the Populists are
necessary, particularly in the West or South
west, for without such support the party repre-
sentation would be almost insignificant. In
the six New England States there was but 1
Democratic Representative In the House Of the
Fifty-hfth Congress to 10 Republicans. In the
four middle Atlantic States. New York, Penn
s~ylvania. New Jersey. and Maryland. there were
| OS heDuDnCanB 10 bDemOCTaJB. ana IN ING bSN6u
middle West and Northwestern States OF Mich
iGan. Wisconsin. Illinois. Indiana, Ohio. Minne-
sofa, and lows there were only II Democrats
to 20 Republicans. In all. there were 154 Re-
publicans and 20 Democrats only in these three
groups Of States.
1.-THE Democrats adhere to the issue Of 1895,
what chance have theyt % increase their small
representation in these d~istrictsf Moreover,
small as It was, It would have been still smaller
except for the aid received In some Of the dis
tricts from the Populist voters. In the Third
district of Michigan. for instance. the successful
Congressman was the nominee conjointly Of
tho Democrats. silver Republicans. Populists.
and National Prohibitionists, yet he polled
only 24.466 votes against "a. 040 for his Repub-
lican opponent. In the Twenty first district OF
Illinois Jehu Baker. the joint nominee OF
Democrats. silver Republicans. and Populists.
received a total vote Of only %, 5S1 against 49,
179 for his Republican opponent. It is reason
able to assume that q disintegration OF the
political forces which made these isolated sue
cesses possible in 1895 would cause the loss Of
several Of the districts.
Moreover, there arc very few gold Dem
ocrats in the Western and Southwestern
States. in which the Democratic representation
in the last House was considerable. In Colo
RADIO. Idaho. Montana, North Dakota. South Da-
kota, and Wyoming no Palmer electoral ticket
was voted for. In Kansas and Nebraska the
vote cast for It was small. and in California,
long regarded as the chief Of the gold States
the Palmer vote was 1000 only, while the Pop
ulist electoral ticket OF Bryan and Watson re-
ceived 81, 900 votes. Are the Democrats OF the
West likely to disconnect themselves from
their former Populist and Silverite allies in
the oming Congress elections by disavow-
ing the platform OF 1893. at the peril of the
loss OF districts which they now hold, with
A. ~! t-.--.-
able? Relatively, the Populists, whether they
take that name or call themselves silver Repub.
licans, are strong in the Senate. Nearly all the
small States OF the Northwest, and more par.
/ ticularly the new States admitted in 8 6 are
represented by Populists or Silverites either
| wholly or partly. For the Democrats in this
} years Congress elections to throw over.
I board their Populist allies OF a few years age
would be to sacrifice their last chance OF con.
trolling the next United States Senate by ar
| alliance with the Populists. In not one OF the
States where a Senator is to be elected next
; winter is it at all probable that a gold Democrat
| can be chosen. save as the consequence Of pos.
sible Republican support in q State otherwise
) incontestably Democratic.
Again, the Democrats In the Southern States
2 must be on their guard lest there be dangerous
defections of Populists. The vote for Watson
in 1896 was nearly a quarter Of a million. and
> III EOIlu SdtDllnd, u ldlI sdLulpc VI Hlduy OLutTS
. where a Democratic-P opulist fusion gave
. Bryan the electoral vote by 10000. the failure
to fuse on Congressman at the same election
: left the Democrats with only one Congressman
l out Of nine from the Tar Heel State. Alabama
r Georgia. South Carolina, Tennessee. ant
1 Texas elect Governors this year. and ir
. all Of them the Populists are numerous. A
t break with them would mean danger to the
l Democratic local tickets. 1t would involve the
: sacrifice OF all Democratic hopes Of success II
t Nebraska, Kansas. Colorado. and California
: Can these losses be made up in New York
: Pennsylvania. Massachusetts and New Jersey
all four of which elect Governors this year. b!
ignoring the Chicago platform and making tn,
. contest on local Issues" merely when Con
Rressmen are to be electedp How can a bat
: tie for representation in Congress be Tough
t on "local. issues ?" Members Of Congress ar,
national officials. and the questions coming VI
for settlement at the next Congress will be tn
i Rreatnational questions growing out Of the war
The last Congress was in session until about
week ago. and its work performed in tn,
8 making Of appropriations. the outlining o
policies. and the support of American arms wa
4 the most important. the most momentous
8 since the Congress Of 1883. 1t was the frs
I war Congress in a quarter Of a century. and 1t
r record Is clear before all the voters Of tn
country. The next Congress must carry for
r ward that task and complete 1t. How. then
h can it be expected that the people will tolerat
any device for the subordination Of the nationa
issues to narrow local issues" In the election
g OF Representatives to the Fifty-sixth Congress
to which will be committed the harvesting @
o the fruits OF victory In WARP
o Native HawaiianS Enlist in Our Service.
From he Pacific Commercial Adpeyissr.