The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-11-06
TIE CONGRESSIONAL SITUATION.
Democrats Certain of Seven With Good Chance
of Nine Members.

congress Will COuldlu Certainty oCNCLA
Democrats, more probably 6, and possibly
9.
eve do not concede to the Republicans
a single one of the nine districts said
Secretary Pearsall at Democratic head
quarters yesterday. They may carry
the Ninth, though I do not believe it.,
and the Eighth looks to be uncomfortaby
close but / don't think there's any doubt
that we'll carry it.
Mr.. Pearsall then went into details as
to the prospects in each district, as they
are shown to be by reports from county
chairmen and others.
In the First district there are two Re-
publican candidates to divide the opposi-
ton vote AS a result SmalPs plurality
will be not less than 1900 and he Will
get good majority over the combined
vote Of both his opponents. In Camden,
Perquimans and Tyrrell counties the
Democratic and Republican strength is
pretty equally divided; in the other coun-
ties of the district the Democrats have
a majority.
Every county in the Second district is
Democratic and Kitchin's majority will
be anywhere from five to eight thousand.
Slocumb (Rep) having declined to run,
the race in the Third district is between
Thomas (Dem.) and Fowler (PopO. In
the August election every county in the
district, except Sampson, was Democratic
and Thomas is now counting on ma
jority of $500. If the negroes do not
take an active part in the election today,
as now seems probable, the Democratic
majority may go much above these fig
ures. In the August election the counties
OF this district gave a Democratic ma
jority of $500.
Pous majority in the Fourth district
will be 1000 plus the majority given for
him in Johnston. The opposition vote
will be divided between Giles (Rep) and
Jenkins (Pop.) 1t was stated last night,
though, that no Jenkins tickets had been
distributed in great many places and
strong effort would be made today to in
duce all Populists to vote for Giles. But
Pou would be elected, even if this effort
were entirely successful.
In the Fifth district the uncertain guam
tity is the cotton mill operatives vote. A
strong effort has been made to organize
it for Joyce (Rep) If this has been sue
cessful it will very seriously affect the
result, especially in Alamance. In some
of the counties, also, Kitchin's vote would
be considerably reduced.
But by no combination, said Mr.
Pearsall yesterday, "can Kitchins major
ity be reduced to less than 1900, and I'M
less the cotton mill vote is thrown against
him he will get some $500 majority"
OF the counties in the Fifth district
Stokes is Republican, Alamance and Or
ange are close and probably Slightly Re-
publican, Granville slightly Democratic
and the other counties certainly Demo-
cratic.
Mr. Bellamys majority in the Sixth
district will be very large. Every county
in his district, except possibly Brunswick
is strongly Democratic. His opponent is
oliver H. Dockery (Rep), whom he beat
two years ago.
In the Seventh district Mr.. Kluttz will
get a majority of about $500. Davie and
YGdkin are Republican, while Rowan,
Stanley, Lincoln and Cabarrus are strong
ly Democratic Catawba Davidson, Ire
dell and Montgomery are considered about
a stand off
The Eighth is doubtful district, with
the chances favoring the Democrats. In
every county across the Blue Ridge (Sur-
ry, Ashe and Watauga) the Democrats
will make decided gains over the vote in
the August election, also in Yadkin and
in Forsyth, which latter county is the
home of the Democratic candidate (BuX-
tom. In Burke, CASTOR and Cleveland,
where such tremendous gains were made
in the August election the Democrats will
hold their own.
Pc laps the pivotal county of this dis
trict is Wilkes. Here the Republicans
have for long time been divided into
two very bitter factions-the Mcneil fac
ton and the Call faction. The Republi-
can candidate blackburn is a Mcneil
man, this faction having secured the NOM
iantion The Call men have therefore been
threatening to butcher him. If they do
so they will support Fortune Qnd. Rep.)
ard Buxton will be an easy winner. To
prevent this Linney. who is Call man,
has recently been in the county trying to
unite the vote. What success he has had
is not yet known.
According to the best information that
can get" said Mr.. Pearsall, Buxton
will get from 500 to 200 more votes than
Blackburn and Fortune put together
have no doubt of his election
IN the Ninth district the6 fight is hot
and close, with both sides claiming a
small majority. The Democrats will lose
heavily in Buncombe but will gain in
Haywood, Clay, Graham and Rutherford
Slight gains are also counted on in Cher
okee, Polk and Pennsylvania. In all of
these across the ridge counties. the party
sustained material losses in the August
election, and the hope of Mr.. Crawford
now is that these losses will be regained.
II he does this his election is sure. II
he fails in it, Moody (Rep.) will win
In making a forecast of the result in
this district" said Mr.. Pearsall I'VE
must start with two things. One is GER