Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-24
Mr.. BABC0CK TALKS
Warns Republicans Against Over
confidence.
WILL HAVE 4 MAJORITY IN SENATE
House Will Be Organized by Domi-
nant Party.
HARD WORK NECESSARY

Representative Babcock of Wisconsin,
/ chairman of the republican congressional
committee, arrived here today at noon and
| went at once to his home, II b street north
west. Mr.. Babcock has been away from
this city about month, during which time
he has been renominated for Congress, a
considerable part of his time while in tbs
west having been spent in conference with
leading republicans of various states
Mr.. Babcock will at once enter actively
upon his work as chairman of the congress
slohai committee and tomorrow will be at
| The headquarters of the committee in the
Normandie. He was seen by a Star re-
porter shortly after his arrival in the city
today and asked concerning conditions in
ms own district, through the west and over
the country at large
My own district he replied, lis strong
iy republican, and it will give a large re-
puohcan majority. Of-course we do not ex-
pect a majority as large as would be
Drought out in presidential election
80 lar as national matters and the sup-
port OF the President are concerned the re-
publican party throughout the west is a
unit L nave yet TO hear the first criticism
Oh Mr. mckinley or his administration from
western man. The difficulties we will
meet apply both to the west and the east
and they refer to differences arising from
contests in state matters
! vi. IN the states of Iowa, Minnesota and
Wisconsin we cannot expect to make gains
LOT the reason that those states are soIidly
republican now. In northern Illinois the
coholllon is the same and there is no chanca
there 1or gains to offset losses that may be
net IN the east We must face the fact
tnat we Will lose a number of districts in
new YORK, Pennsylvania and other middle
eastern states. Tammany is in control in
New York city, which was not the case in
~ and 96, when we carried the city,
Silver Sentiment Dying Out.
In the extreme west the free silver sem
tIment has died out to u wonderful degree,
10 much greater extent than any one
VINO mas not been in the west lately would
be inclined to believe. There is no Chance
there for recruits on that issue.
w 9 VIII make gains in Kansas Nabras-
ka, South Dakota, Wyoming, California
ana possibly Washington. Still / 10 not
thinK our gains in the west will offset our
losses IN the east, but L feel satisfied THAI
we Will make enough gains to allow rs tn
organize the next House.
nave found wonderful amount of
commence among republicans everywhere
nave been, and this is based upon the
success of the republican administration
10 SO great an extent is this feeling preva-
teht mat republicans say we will win with
lishds down. To my mind that feeling
Il
scoo working majority of sound monay re-
pupHcans IN the next Senate This ma
5ofity Will be from six to nine But there
- no use disgusting the fact that the cleo
tion OF a majority in the House will no a
very close and difficult matter and our re-
puoilcan friends should understand this
1 ne reasons for Losses in the House
WIN come from dissatisfaction over the dis
position OF patronage and from local COM
p.lcatlonS IN the various states
w nile We will have votes 10 carry the
i ,eAt rouse, we cannot expect to have as
large majority there we have now
we now nave hfty-one majority, so thar
we can sustain some losses and stfu have
a good working majority But the situa
tion is such that it behooves every repub-
llcan to be on the alert especially in close
districts, because We will need every ore
of them 'e
Republican Gains in the Senate
Where will the gains in the number IF
republican senators come FROM" Mr. Rsb-s
cock was asked
AT present. he replied. I'VE have .bir+v-
SIX sound money republican senators who
foid over. There are nine states in which
elections take place, and in which II is
apSointeiy certain that republican senators
VIII be elected. This will give us forty-tiye
or one-half of the Senate. In addition To
the above elections for senators take place
IN Nebraska, Wyoming, West Virginia.
CCeii;acware, New York. New Jersey, Indiana,
California and Washington. and we have
these states from which to secure gains
AS said am satisfied that we will nave
a majority in the Senate of from six to
nine" ~
How do the people of the west feel CON-
corning the results of the WARP" the re-
porter asked
Il have found a sentiment of general sat
isfaction there over the results Of the war
ana L md those who voted for MCKINLEY
are especially proud of it, whether repub-
leans or democrats. All the acts of the
administration meet with their ready ap-
prevail. think, however, in my own state
the feeling is against the acquisition of ter
ritory in the eastern hemisphere As near
as l was able to size up the situation the
people there feel that there will be no
adequate compensation for in the Philip
pine Islands, that the serious questions that
we would have to face when we become a
party to the eastern question are of such
a character that it requires very close
and careful investigation before any terri
tory there is annexed or acquired beyond
a naval station and the necessary harbors
for our shipping"
Not So Much Literature.
"Will you send cut as large amount of
literature this year as usual?' Mr. Bah
cock was asked.
THE people do not want to hear anything
abe ut free silver. and they are convinced
of the wisdom Of republican tariff legisia-
ton, and they do not want to hear any
nore about that. Practically the only thing
that interests the public now is the war
sitl alton and the general policy of the
government in regard to the acquisition of
foreign territory. There is no such demand
for literature as we had in SO, and we will
rot handle any such quantity as we
handled then"
Mr.. Babcock said the handbook of the
republican congressional committee would
be issued very shortly.
GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT.