The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-29
CONGRESSIONAL OUTLOOK.


Representative Juseph W. Babcock
of Wisconsin, chairman of the Repub-
lfcan congressional committee, hopes
TO see Mckinley re-elec. ed, but fears
that the political complexion of the
next house win be TOO close for com
fort
The loss of a few districts" he
says. win give the Democrats a ma
jority in the next house. We have
only thirteen majority now and we
shall probably lose some districts in
the middle western states.
Republicans count on making gains
in New York. owing, no doubt, to the
influence of Plat: in Pennsylvania,
owing TO the determination of Quay to
secure d vindication; and in Massa-
ehuseus, as d result Of Senator Hoar's
fealty to the Republican organization.
Whether or not they have any founda-
ton for such hopes remains to be seen,
but the general impression is that
Platts influence is waning in New
York. that Roosevelt's independence
has caused q split in the party. and
that the opposition of the. better class
vt Republicans in Pennsylvania to
quay viii not permit the administra-
ton 10 make very heavy gains in the
Keystone state. As to Massachusetts.
if. with ali his confessions and admis-
sioUs for his party, Senator Hoar can
yet persuade people who live in the
sight of Bunker Hill to suppore an
Anglioized administration. he will be
entitled to full credit for an the gains
made there.
At all events, the next house viii
be closer than is the present house
The gold bug majority win decrease.
Republican leaders foresee this result
of the coming election. Nor is the
senate by any means assured to the
Republicans. either. Sound Money. ="
a financial periodical issued in the in
terest of the present administration.
says that every effort should be put
forth by friends of the single gold
standard 20 carry the congressional
elections this fan for the reason that
the senate is liable to pass from Re
publican control next year. It's rea-
sons for this belief are based upon the
following facts and figures.
The votes upon the financial bin
and the amendments at various times,
says this administration publication,
showed That at various times fifty
three senators voted for the gold stand
sidered as 81 gold man, was not thus
recorded by vote or pair OF the fifty
four gold men, Caffrey and Lindsay
were gold Democrats. There were also
recorded at different times thirty
three free silver votes in the senate:
majority of twenty-one for gold. with
three vacancies, Delaware. Pennsylva-
MA and Utah The latter state has
already elected a Democratic congress
man. and Utah and Delaware both are
very likely to be Democratic this fan. "
Continuing with these statistics.
Sound Money" explains that the
terms Of nineteen Of the ffty-four gold
senators expire in 1901. Their success
ors win be chosen by legislatures elect
ga at the time the next congress is
elected. New Hampshire Maine.
Massachusetts. Rhode Island and Iowa
have been coupted as Republican I'M
der all considerations. But in Illinois.
Michigan and Minnesota the Iegisla-
lures elected in 1892 were either Demo-
cratic or fusion Kentucky. New Jer-
sey and West Virginia were Democrat
&c previous 20 1894 and Louisiana has
not been Republican since 1876. IN Col
orado, Idaho and Kansas legislatures
were Populist in 1892. and while Mon
tana. Nebraska, Oregon and Wyoming
We're carried by Republicans by small
pluralities in that year. it was upon
silver platforms and their legislatures
We're controlled by fusion majoritieS. OF
the thirty-three free silver senators the
terms of eleven expire in 1901; of these
Alabama. Arkansas. Georgia. Missis-
sippi North Carolina, South Carolina.
Tennessee, Texas and Virginia will re-
turn Democratic senators of undoubt-
ed regularity. There is little doubt
OF the result in Delaware, which will
elect Two senators, or in South Da-
kota"
by the most favorable estimate a
majority of but two for gold can be
figured out" says H. X. Dodge, com
menting upon these figures. and he
adds
il the states Of Illinois aud New Jer-
sey, which went Democratic In 1852
should happen 20 elect Democratic legis-
latures this fail, the small majority for
gold might be reversed. And when the
analysis Is carried into the class Of sen
ators retiring IN 1903, II viii be found that
Deboe of kentucky, Kyle of South Da-
kota, Pritchard of North Carolina and
Wellington OF Maryland, with others ia
less doubtful states, will retire. possibly
to make way for men OF opposite political
faith and bound by chains of party reg
ularity- further decreasing the strength Of
the gold men in that event.
Representative Babcoek's estimate.
given in yesterdays press dispatches.
and the forecast of Sound Money
make It apparent that the Republicans
are very much alarmed over the con
gresaonal outlook, and that the gold
forces are by no means sure of con-
trolling the next congress. All Of