The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-26
THE WAR NOT An ISSUE
The Fall Campaign to Be Fought
on the Old Lines.
CONTEST WILL BE SHARP
Heavy Democratic Gains Are Confidently
Expected in the East-Republicans
Are Divided-An Analysis of
the Situation.
Washington Bureau of the standard,
No. 1145 q Street, n. w.

No. II45 G street. n. w.
Washington, July 21.-In a little more
than three months the fall elections will
be held. Even the deep general interest
In the news from the front has not in
terfered with the work of preparation
for the contest of November. And there
is no doubt that there will be a very
sharp struggle between the leading po-
litical parties for the control of the next
senate and house.
In the days before the Spanish wal it
was asserted that the next election
woul be a democratic walkover, but
since the long prognosticated struggle
has begun, it has been reiterated that it
was impossible to defeat the republican
party. The fact remains, however, that
the managers of the two congressional
committees are anticipating an uncom-
monty vigorous contest with close re-
suits. The campaign will be mainly
along lines not likely to be affected by
war conditions. The war itself cannot
be made an issue in the campaign. The
democrats n populists forced the war
by their determination and persistency,
while a republican congress and execu-
tive has charge of its management. This
a. ~ 1hont
a party issue out of the war, although it
may be quite easy to draw a line of
demarkation between the parties. when
it comes to some of the matters that
must be settled after the war.
Miles. Shafter and Sampson are re-
publicans, but Dewey and Schley are
democrats, and Hobson comes of popu-
list forbears. There is small chance to
make good the ~threadbare old claim
that the republican party contains the
only patriots in the country, and is the
only party that can be trusted to keep
the star-spangled standard floating in
the breeze. Half the governors of the
states of the union who commissioned
the m line officers are democrats
and populists, and at least half of the
splendid volunteer army itself is COM
posed of men who belong to those par
ties. 1t is only among the sons of their
fathers, who nave been given staff po-
sitions, that the democrats and their al
lies have been missing" in the Span
ish war.
An interesting feature of the canvass,
according to the officers of the demo-
cratic congressional committee. is the
certainty that democrats will make
heavy gains in the next congress from
the Eastern states. From New England,
New York. Pennsylvania, New Jersey
and Maryland-which gave Mckinley
lcdIly a fllliiOh pOpuldI pluIdlly-lHtIt
were returned in 1896 but eight demo-
cratic congressman, as follows: New
York, five; Pennsylvania, two: Massa-
chusetts, one. 1t is to these states that
the democratic leaders confidently look
for the gains that will give the party
the control of the next congress. They
do not base their claims on the expec-
tation of any great popular revulsion
against the republican party, but merely
because of natural reaction from the
phenomenal and tidal-wave republican
majorities of 1896. At present Pennsyl-
vania is regarded as the state most GER
tain to show gains for he democratic
party. Secretary Kerr of the democratic
congressional committee, who is just
back from the state, says there will be
at least eight democratic members from
the state in the e congress. This is
not remarkable, as the state has many
times gone very heavily republican
without cutting the democrats below
that number of representatives. AS a
matter of fact the democrats hope for
much more substantial gains owing to
the great opposition to Quay and Quay
ism which has risen in the state. Last
year a prohibitionist received 100, 900
votes on the state ticket. This same
person, DIR. Swallow, lis this year run
ming for governor on the prohibition
ticket, and is expected to cut into the
republican vote very heavily. The demo-
cratic candidate for governor of Penn
sylvania was a strong supporter OF the
regular democratic ticket in 1896, and
the silver democrats are in full control.
But, because of the importance of the
local republican detection, the demo-
cratic platform is confined solely to the
consideration OF state issues, and this is