Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-12
The Next House.

ments. but also the political complex
ton of the next Congress. The election
will be one of the most importan.
held in many years, and the Republic
cans of Maine, having done their duty,
are intentiy watching the campaign in
other states The situation is full Of
promise for the Republicans, but it will
be no easy or overwhelming victory.
There is the proverbial off year apathy
to fight against, and the Democratic
party is resorting to every method
known to politics to secure the control
of the next House. AS for the Senate,
they have no hopes. 1t is we'll assured
publican by good margin. But the
control of the next House is another
matter, and the Democracy hopes to
overcome the Republican majority Of
so over all in the present House. The
Republican managers admit that they
will have some losses in the Eastern
and Middle states, where the sweeping
Republican triumph of 1896 carried
with the tide several Democratic
strongholds, but they claim that these
losses will be offset by gains in the
West and Northwest, and that a Wig
orous campaign will make the next
House strongly Republican.
After the crushing defeat of the sill
than insulting to American intelligence
for them to assume to have chances of
victory, this fall There is no disguis-
ing the fact that the Democratic party
of the United States is still actually
standing, though pretending not to be,
upon the Chicago platform, crowded as
it is with pernicious financial errors
and heresies, and remaining steadfast
in it's allegiance to the erratic and
demagogic leadership of Bryan. The
Democracy in several state conven-
tons has sidetracked the Chicago plat
form temporarily, upon the pretence
that there is no national issue involved
in the November elections. But this
pretence is transparency false. If in
their state conventions the Democrats
have not endorsed the Chicago plat
form and candidate, they have not
condemned nor repudiated them.
They have simply put them aside for
the present lest they should revive the
overwhelmingly popular opposition of
1896.
The elections, this fall. are not mere
ly state elections, involving as they do
House and third of the members of
the national Senate, and it is a cow
ardly subterfuge for the Democracy to
dodge national issues. 1t is a congress
sional election of vast Importance and
the great national issues of the day
should be kept at the front, and the
campaign in every congressional dis
trict waged along national lines
AS has been said the Democrats have
no expectation, no hope even, of secur-
ing majority of the Senate. That
body will be certainly and effectively
gress. 1t is the political character of
the House only of which there can be
any doubt. But in the present state of
national and international affairs it is
of the utmost Importance that both
branches of the federal Legislature
shall be in political accord with the
President. Questions of the greatest
moment arising out of the war with
Spain must be considered, if not finally
determined. during the life of the next
Congress. A contentious partisan
House, seeking political capital even at
the cost of national dignity, power and
prosperity, would be an evil of the first
magnitude President Mckinley should
have in his efforts to secure for his
country the most advantageous results
of the war the support of a united,
harmonious Republican Congress. An
antagonistic House of Representatives,
captious, selfish, obstructive, might
and, no doubt, would exert an influence
most prejudical to the best interests
of the country with respect to the
! issues growing out of the war with
Spain, many of which the present Con-
gress cannot settle during the ensuing
| brief session. Indeed, all that this
| great nation has gained by the
prowess, courage and patriotism of it's
army and navy might and probably
would be lost by an opposing political
majority of the popular branch of Con-
| gress. The President should be sus-
tanned in every patriotic policy, foreign
or domestic by a solidly Republican
Congress.
That is one grave issue of the pend
| ing political campaign; another, never
to be too lightly considered, is the
| financial one, which is only less vital
Ay-