New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-25
DANGER IN BRYAN'S ELECTION.
THE REPUBLICANS MAY LOSE CONGRESS,
IF THEY FAIL TO RETAIN THE
PRESIDENCY

One of the dangers of Mr.. Bryans election and
a possibility to which little attention has been
apparently given. is that with silver President
in Office Congress might also fall into Democratic
hands.
The Republican party in the conduct of this
years Presidential campaign is handicapped by
the unreasoning and unfounded presumption that
the success of the Democratic National ticket win
not directly affect American standards of value
seriously impair the country's business prosperity
and financial credit. 1t has been lightly proclaimed
in many quarters that with free silver agi-
tator like Colonel Bryan in the White House the
single gold standard, firmly established by recent
legislation, would remain unassailed and unassail-
able. Such theory assumes however, that during
the four years Democratic President remains in
power one or both branches of the legislative de-
partment would continue in the control of the po-
litical forces which put the law of March A. 1900,
the statute book.
Any careful study of the fluctuations of American
political opinion will show the folly of such an
sumption. For whatever ascendancy the Repub-
lican party has enjoyed for six years in the TWO
houses of Congress it has owed to one of those
tidal waves of sentiment which when it subsidies
does so with startling perversty and emphasis.
for President this year attract enough
electoral support win the political reaction his
success so pIainly signalized would entail trans
fer of power complete enough to involve not only
The Executive but eaen branch of the legislative
1t is accepted fact in National politics that
control of the House of Representatives Is sure to
fail in Presidential years to the party winning the
the same National organization captured both the
House and the Presidency. Indeed, the margin by
which the Republican party now controls the popu-
lar branch is narrow enough to be upset by even
the slightest political revusion OF the 1851 mem
bers chosen in 1898, 1S6 Republicans, l62 were
Democrats and were Siverites Populists.
over the combined opposition the Republican ma
iority was only fifteen Since then the Republican
Strength has been somewhat increased by the ad-
mission of contestants who had been deprived OF
rightful certificates. But on the prma facis re-
turns years ago change in eight districts
would have given the lower branch TO the Demo
-Populist opposition. Moreover, in the pres
ent House least ten Republican members won
their seats by puraties ranging from 10 to 800.
There in the Senate % Republicans, 70
Democrats and Populists or Silverites ASSUMING
however that a Democratic candidate is TO be
elected this fall many sweeping changes In the
Senate will be inevitable. To carry the country
Mr. Bryan would have TO hold the States he had
in 1896 and capture Kentucky Maryland, West
Virginia Delaware and Indiana. If these FIVE
States are credited TO him. in addition 10 the
twenty-five that he won four years ago, enough
seats in the Senate would be incidentally regalned
70 make control of that body after next March
extremely doubtful.