The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-10
of the senate Considered
Certain, but Some Apprehension
Felt as to the House.
EXPRESSIONS FROM ABROAD
HOW THE RESULT Is VIEWED BY
PEACE COMMISSIONERS.
Spaniards Not Shouting or Burning
Red Fire in Honor of the RepubIic-
an VictOry-Press Comm ents.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 9.-The election
formed the theme that almost exclusively
occupied the attention of the Cabinet at
special session to-day. The session was
called to take the place of the regular Tues
day meeting, which had to be deferred owing
to the absence of the President and several
of his official household. The meeting was
in the nature of an exchange of congratu-
lations on the general results, and the dis
patches of the Associated Press sent over
the special White House wires were quickly
communicated to the Cabinet room and dis
cussed by the members Every one Of the
Cabinet present took part in the discussion,
and individual explanations and comments
on the votes in their respective sections of
the country were made.
The feeling expressed at the meeting,
summed up, was that the election results
showed hearty Endorsement of the admin
istration and that in the main the Repub-
lican losses in some of the cities were at
tributable to the development of local feel
ing following the tidal wave of 1896 in dis
tricts which then elected Republicans by
very large majorities. There was great
qualification at the outlook for the Senate's
makeup, the opinion as expressed being
that there would be a Republican majority
of doubtless eight, and possibly more, in
that body. AS to the House. there was some
apprehension, though the belief was ex-
pressed, based on the advices at hand, that
there might be a Republican majority Of
perhaps not over three. The Democratic
gains in the South created no surprise, as
the race issues had prepared the adminstra-
ton for the result. 1t was contended at the
meeting, however, that in a general way the
districts throughout the country normally
Republican had remained so, and 1t was
serted throughout that the vote failed to
show any sign of censure of the administra-
ton in it's war conduct. The President, as
we'll as some of the Cabinet, was in re-
ceipt of private dispatches bearing on the
situation.
The situation in Cuba was discussed, and,
as a result, it is believed that the Spanish
were notified, through our commissioners at
Havana, that the evacuation OF the island
is not proceeding with the dispatch that the
United States has right to expect. On the
other hand, it is said that yellow fever ex-
lists in Havana, and that it would not be
prudent to send troops at this time to oc-
cupy the city. even if the Spaniards were
ready to evacuate it. There IS no doubt,
however, that the United States will take
formal possession of the Cuban government
Oh Jdu L, IL IOl SdIllSLs II - represented Oil
good authority that the Spaniards are MAX
ing the most of their opportunity in the
matter of customs, and that the common
people are made 10 suffer in consequence.
After the Cabinet meeting it was stated
that nothing has been received recently
from the Paris commissioners and, so far
as is known here, there is no hitch in the
proceedings.
Postmaster General Charles Emory Smith,
in an interview with the Associated Press
tonight summed up the election results
from the administration view point briefly
as follows, the statement having been made
when it was thought the Republicans would
lose the House:
THE general trend of the election was
decidedly favorable to the Republicans. The
Democratic gains in some localities seem
to be due to the fact that two years ago
abnormal conditions prevailed and the Re-
publicans carried an unusual number of
Democratic districts, some of which now re-
turn to normal conditions. The first strik-
ing feature of the result is that it is the
first departure for many years from the
rule that House of Representatives chosen
midway in an administration is against the
administration. The civil war, of course
presented an exceptional condition, but be-
fore, as we'll after the war, it was so
invariably the rule as to become a settled
maxim that the pendulum midway in an
administration swings the other way. All
of the disappointments all Of the incomplete
results found expression in a reaction. The
weakness of an administration is developed
without the strength of it's fully developed
policy There has been since Grants first
term no exception to the rule of a decided
opposition Congress during the second half
of an administration until now, and the
breaking of the rule in this case is a dem
onstration of the exceptional strength Of
this administration with the country The
popular faith in the President has over
run every other tendency
"The second striking feature is the dis
solving view of Populism in the West and
the tendency of the sound-money Democrats
in the East to return to the party fold. The
sound-money Democrats appear to have
thought the President could be trusted
through his term 10 defeat any dangerous
legislation and TO have availed themselves
of their feeling of security TO resume their
old party ties
"As to the question growing out of the
war and the acquisition OF new territory.
the elections indicate to my mind that the
people are willing TO leave these matters to
the Judgment of the President and will fol-
low his lead"