New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-25
LIKELY TO HOLD THE HOUSE.
REPUBLICAN APATHY AND OVEfCoN-
FIDENCE VANISHING.
SEVERAL. DISTRICTS HERETOFORE IN GREAT
DANGER NOW REGARDED AS sAFE-CHAih-
MAN BABcoCK's PREDICTION
try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSE.1

washington, OCT. -f.-CndIriah
the Republican Congressional Committee Is "V ,,
exceedingly hopeful that :he Repuohcahs VI"
not lose control Oh the House through negligence
or Indifference. All the reports rece'Veo III ''o
last three days have been encouraging' anu
eral Congress districts which were behe'eu ~
be in great CANCER are now regarded as Saie
III we can keep the pr sent pace unth h'e'l'o
Day the House is safe: but there Wus' oe Nv
backslidlng or relaxation or eHort' 'a'u ~
Babcock to-day in conversation WIN ~
correspondent. He added:
This is the most difficult campaign nave
ever directed or been familiar with IL mas so'i'e
times appeared impossible TO gauge ana "eis
the influences and forces at WORK. out ho"
feel sure Of the ground and that know e*ao''S
where W. stand and what our prospects are
Figures No. not for publication. put VIII '"'
you my list and go over 1t with you IT,,
7, ,r,,st s,Hce to say that Chairman Babcocks
list is most interesting and satisfactory one
As h. said however il cannot be verified by
election returns unless Republicans do their lui'
dutv and snare no effort between THIS ana lhe
night Of election Day He believes they VIII "o
this and oointing through the window at 'he
bie Amef.can flag suspended across the s'ree'
and waving in the clear October sunhsh'' "e
said: YOU see, we have raised the nag a' "
II ia the flag of victory and we are pouhd u
win"
oppo.tTroN CLAIMS NOT JUSTIFIED
The hone OF obtaining control OF the House OF
Representatives which the managers anu leau-
ers Of the Democratic, Populist ana rec"
Republican campaign still cherish - Iaree's
based on the fact that considerable nuiioe Va
Congress districts that were carried oy tue Ne
publicans in 1894 and 1896 had been regarded as
safely Democratic prior to the former year anu
were lost in 1896 by majorites or plurahties OF
two thousand votes OF less.
Earlier in the campaign. before Secretary
Kerr NJ the Fusion Congressional Commit
tee had begun to practise the N"'ue VI
reticence IN any marked degree, he conn
IDENTIFY claimed most or all OF the distric's re-
ferred to- together with some distrlcts 'N"'
elected Republican candidates in 1876 by ma
toritles or pluralites varying from Z,oo 10
| : 200 or more At the same time he secuted
| tho suepestJo7 that the Republicans might pos
| sihlv capture some districts which are no"
represented IN Congress by Democrats or fopu-
lists. who were elected by narrow maJori'ie'
or puralitles. There are thirty-seven congress
districts now represented bN Republicans each
of whom was elected by plurality OF TWO thou-
! ,d or ,ese II all these districts should be
.rors,erred 10 the opposition column. and the
latter should lose none Of those II no" hoiu'
Inv Ike majorities p,uralities' the oppo''
ton. Of course would control the next riou'e
bv a fair working majority. lha' i"a'''
,,o, 4 be mere legislative mob. to be sure
y t., s,scn,,na or capable leadership, but
{, would be able to nullify the recommenoa-
-, :. .ha Executive and thwart every at
,emnt TO enact important and necessary ieei''@
| tion.
OUTLOOK IN MANY STATES
Tho Congress districts which the opposnlo"
leaders and managers hope to capture OH '''
ground referred to. but some or whic" ."'' -, :
claiming with less confidence 'hai' nv -
three weeks ago, are widely ,.o
.x, t. tho let california District, which gave
t'''.' - ,.,ro,,ty NJ 800 in 1896. Late ad-
| ,ioos from that state, which are oelieVeu u NC
'''N' ,d,oote that the opposition can
I, +, ,bo With AMI With districts are IN
-. dargar Of defeat than Barham Is i'll ''e
-. r,s,r,ot In tho With District the opposition
.,,,o.a raceived plurality OF oo5 votes III
,ooc ...,,,o tho Populist plurality In the Win
was only 244. , .,,,o, the
Dar,ocrat.Populists until recently eApe',eu
,,,,,re from the Republicans Inv -
,rohab,v now be willing TO accep' -, .,
for,,,romise. although they stii' c!a,''' vIv,h
Co'''p' d,str,cts are lid. 1Nth, AlN IT,
vv,h ard XVIIth. which in looo , ga 900 nd
,,.., r,uralities Of 800. 1,9lo' l''oi' 'ov
90 resnectiyely. Recent Repu''e' 20
- soyerel Of these districts nave -
encouraging thar they were carrier j" ,ho
vi, y, 1904 the fusion majority IN '"e
xXIs. District was 4o2 IL IS u''U - 1904
,.'.,or ,s not complete this year IN io''
the iu''o' ,,a. oordIdate received 2.I64 votes
""e" ..,oor was elected by plurallty
/ OF 500 votes. X., claim
- r,,, tho three districts which gave IKE
,,,o n,ural,ties Of less than l"" ea'" ~
,ooc $40, eoveral other districts now represent
D,,,,icans including the Nlil'n anu
yrrr,h ,,hivh gave Republican piurai''e' ~
. coo .,d I III respectively. in lS9o Inc 'h'ee
,.r,o,s erst referred to are the ISL WIN anu
1y,b which in 1896 gave Repuohcah Plu'
tics ~ 0j1 a22 and 41G. respectively he'e,
ody,ces received from Indiana ny the hepuo
,,oar Conpressionel Committee In regard 10
oyoral NJ the districts claimed ny tne opPos'-
,,o, have been Of an encouraging nature Ihere
oro thrae districts-the I'D, lNth ana Min
, in which the opposition majorities OF p'ura'i,e'
: IN 1896 were respectively 9SN' 80 al." ,'o
- u,as complete Democratic -Popuils'
~ +, ,ho xIr,h District which in 1891
uber the Populist candidate received -l'
votes gave Leighty. Republican. piurahty Oh
o,ar 2ooo This year there is no fusion'
.rhora 10 likely to be a political explosion II
o-o ~ tho Indiana districts this week whicf
roo, cause the defeat of the Democratic cahui
do,e wbose election is now regarded as certaii
nv tho Demo- Populist managers In Washhs
. ton az ANYTHING in the future can be
CLAIMS IN IOWA NOT CONCEDED
|, The Democratic Populist Congressional com
r,i,,ee is confidently claiming the Win lowe
Dl.trict which gave Lacey. Republican. pu
ralitv OF l2O1 over his Dernocratic-fopu'''
opponent in 1896; the VIllth' which gave iiep
burn majority OF S2I over MS iusio" opp0
nent in the same year. and the iiu ""0" s"'