Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1899-01-04
Passing OF Northern Democrats.

Not one straight Democrat from
the Northern states will be a mem
Der Of the next Senate whose term
begins March +. Thirty Senators
end their period Of service on that
day, and in filling the seats the
Democrats of the North will be en-
tirely unreprcscnted. 1t is an ex-
traordinary fact, in American poll
tics. The Senator'S from Utah and
Montana will be elected by fusion
Legislatures and are as much Pop
ulist as Democratic. A close esti-
mate Of the next Senate is fifty
four Republicans, twenty-six Dem
ocrats and ten Populists and sill
verites, a Republican majority
over all of eighteen. The twenty
six Democratic Senators are from
the South, but that section is no
longer solid. 1t sends ten Rcpub-
licans to the next Senate. In five
years the Republicans have gained
eighteen seats in the Senate. They
have been strengthened most in the
branch where stability is the great
est, Il matter of unsual political
The Democrats in
the next Senate will number less
than onc-third of the whole body,
while the Republicans will lack but
six votes of two-thirds. A remark
ablcchange has occurred in the Sen
ate, but it has been spread over sew
eral years and its full Importance
has hardly been realized.
There is still in a technical sense.
a Democratic party in the
North. 1t claims the name and is
in possession Of the machinery
But the Democratic party as it was
has passed away. The situation i'll
the next Senate proves it. Cor
man, of Maryland, is among the
missing. Murphy Of New York,
Smith of New Jersey, Gray of Del
aware, Mitchell of Wisconsin,
White of California, Tnrpic of
Indiana and Faulkner of West Vir
ginia are in his company. There
are Republicans gains over the
Populists in the transmississippi re-
gion. The passing of the Demo
Gratis occurred there some time
ago. All that remains Of it is mi
nor element available for nothing
except fusion combinations. Here is
the remnant of the fusion Democ-
racy and Populism in the next Sen
ate. One member from Colorado,
one from Idaho, one from Kansas,
one from Montana, two from Ne
vada, two from Utah and one from
Washington. To this total Of
eleven Senators, of all shades of
opinion, is the opposition reduced
in the North. As far as the Sen
ate is concerned, the Northern DEM
ocrats are virtually extinguished.
So much for the Chicago platform
experiment.
Looking over the whole field,
there is no encouragement whatcv
er for another debased money cam
paigu. The Senate blocks the way
for long period. Even if the
tide could set in that direction du-
ring the next two years, the = ety-
sixth Congress will be in full &C
cord with the President, and will
put up the Legislative bars against
every form Of tampering with the
1O0c dollar. Mr.. Bryans friends
may insist on his denomination, but
they cannot restore the conditions
Of 1896. Their opportunities for
mischief in 1900 will be infinitely
less than in the "frst battle" Thcr
they had the Senate, which will
now be against them. Sound mon
ey legislation was then impossible
For the next two years it will be
easy. The fusionists two years
ago had Il programme which they
could have enforced the momen
they came into power. All that i
changed. Their chance to upse
the currency of the country has pc
tered out.-Globe- Democrat.