Evening star., 1898-11-01
POLITICAL OUTLOOK
Both Congressional Committees Claim
the Next House.
MARGIN SMALL IN EACH CASE
Apathy the Most Marked Feature
of the Campaign.
p PROBAB BILE CAUSE OF 1T
}GlN SMALL In EACH CASE
PROBABLE CAUSE OF IT

After all their canvassing and figuring
both the congressional committees are anX-
ious today about the congressional cleo
tons. The vote will be cast week from
today. The surface indications present a
situation on which neither committee can
figure out any but a very small majority,
however strong their inclination may be to
discount the prospects of the opposition.
The republic& rs, while claiming a majority
1n the House. concede a considerable gail
by the democrats over their representation
in the present House. The claims on both
sides about offset each other, the republi-
cans claiming a majority of twenty-seven
and the democrats hoping for a majority of
tWenty-nine. Neither committee appears to
have information on which reliance can
confidently be placed.
Almost Universal Apathy.
The thing that interferes with all cacu-
lations Is the almost universal apathy. The
effect of this apathy depends upon its
cause and no one seems to be able to con-
clude what the present cause Is The re-
pubHcans, reasoning from what they think
ought to be- insist that the people do
not take an interest in this election be-
cause they are so well satisfied. with pres
ent conditions that there is nothing to ex-
Iibt lile spirit OI pdTllSd0Snlp. Inc demo-
Gratis say that apathy is an old friend of
theirs, who has a knife up his sleeve for
the republican candidates. Another expa-
nation is that the people have passed
through so much war excitement that they
are not for the time capable of being much
aroused by things that ordinarily excite
their interests.
If this explanation is the right one it
does not argue certainly to the interest of
either party over the other, but it might be
fairly assumed that if the people are still
occupying their minds with the war to the
exclusion of politics the prevailing inclna-
tlon Will be to vote for the party whose ad-
mlnlstrauon conducted the war to a
cessful issue. If they are apathetic because
there is popular sentiment in favor of
pollcy OF expansion and because there has
been a universal doubt as to what would be
the attitude of the administration on this
subject. the development this week, show
ing tnat this government is going to insist
on the cession by Spain of the entire Phil
lpplne group may naturally be expected to
result IN d very strong vote to sustain the
administration in carrying out this policy
which the democratic leaders are more than
| half inclined to oppose.
II the cause of the apathy could he dis
covered a forec asst of the election could be
made with some degree of confidence, but
as it is both uncertain in their own
claims and are prepared for any ything.
Advantages for the Democrats
The democrats have two seeming ad-
vantages in the campaign. One is that they
have few possible losses to guard against
and can devote themselves to a campaign
Of aggression instead of defense, while the
republicans have many supposed doubtful
districts TO defend. The other is that the
| republicans are having trouble within their
! own ranks in strong republican states
where the democrats must make gains in
order to carry the House. The fight against
Quay in Pennsylvania promises to give the
democrats some seats in the House from
that state which they could not otherwise
| have any hope for. In Ohio the ill will
existing between the Hanna and anti
! democrats to help them. In Michigan the
| night that Pinsree is making Senator
| Burrows is counted on by the democrat is
| for two or three districts from that state
The republicans besides the advantage
| they. may naturally count on because of
| the successful conclusion of the war and
| the sentiment in favor of giving the Nc
klnley administration an opportunity 20
carry out policy unhampered by the op-
| position. have an additional advantage in
| the fact that in this last week of the cam
| palgn their resources are not all exhausted.
After making their canvass and discover
| lEg their weak districts they have re-
sources that will enable them to get to
work In those places and recover much of
the ground that may seem to be lost But
the democrats have no such chance. They
must rely on the result of the general
campaign, and if they find that in the last
turn they are still believed the chances
are ten to one that they will stay believed
to the end They are practically without
| resources if the tide of sentiment has not
set in their way