New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-07
HOUSE SEATS IN DANGER.
REPUBLICAN FACTION FIGHTS THAT
NAY PROVE COSTLY.
[pr rr1r inAru TO THE TRIBUNE

Washington. Sept. ct has been the fash
ion to say that Republican factional quarrels
flourish only where they do no harm-in the
Southern States-whose electoral votes have
been for years chained by fraud to the Demo-
cratic party. That is only partially true. One
Of the 1ercest factional fights in the Republican
party is now raging. ii did two years ago.
in State whose electoral vote is as certain, to
be cast for Mckinley and Roosevelt as Yer
monts or Oregon's-rhe great State OF Penn
sylvania. In that State the Republicans lost
five six Congress districts in 1898 simply and
solely because the members Of the bellgerent
factions were so bitterly determined TO cut one
anOthers political threats, and so busy doing
it that they allowed the common enemy 10
carry off the prizes of victory which belonged
to themselves. There appears to be imminent
danger that the same things will happen in
Pennsylvania again this year. Indeed, care
full Republican observers express fears that the
outcome may be even worse than 1t was two
years ago, for the factional fight is daily be-
coming more bitter, unrelenting and desperate
If the leaders of the opposing factions would
halt long enough in their efforts TO destroy one
another to reflect and realize that they are
blindly and wilfully promoting and aiding the
Bryanites in their efforts to gain control of the
National House of Representatives perhaps
they would listen to reason. II they do not
Pennsylvania will probably send eleven or
twelve Bryanite members to the next Congress
instead Of the ten there. which are at least
six more than the Bryanites could elect if the
Republicans of the keystone State were united
and loyal to the candidates as well as to the
principles Of their party
QUARRELS IN THE SOUTH
Some of the Congress districts in the South
ern States would be represented in the House
by Republicans despite unfair election laws
ooI
not for fractional quarrels. This is true of at
least three districts in Virginia One of these
is the Norfolk district which contains several
thousand more Republican than Bryanite vot-
ers. There a fractional fight bitter as any in
Pennsylvania has been raging for years. One
of the factions held a convention in April and
made a nomination for Congress. Recently the
other faction held convention, and under the
advice. it is understood OF the chairman OF the
Republican National Committee adjourned to
await the report of q committee of ten of its
members appointed to confer with a like COM
mittee of the other faction The joint commit
tee is to meet next week and viii not agree
The result will be the loss of the district to the
Republicans. What is called the Republican
party organization in Virginia has fallen under
the control of coterie of Federal of1ceholders.
most OF whom appear to be in politics for the
same reason that Richard Croker is.
In Tennessee also are two strong Republican
factions which. II heartily united, could elect
three or four Republicans to Congress instead
OF two, at present. One of the factions is
headed by Congressman Brownlow. a nephew
of the renowned Parson Brownlow, and the
other by H. Clay Evans. now Commissioner of
Pensions, who was elected Governor of the
State several years ago, and cheated out of the
Office by a Democratic Legislature There Is
said to be a fair prospect that the Tennessee
factions will compose their differences. at
least declare truce and pull together during
the remainder of the Presidential campaign.
There is also said to be hopeful prospect
that the warning Republican factions in Della
ware win do the same, but there is grave rea-
son 10 fear that 1t is already too late, and that
the Bryanites will elect the Representative in
Congress and a majority of the State Legis-
lature which is to choose two United States
Senators next winter, even if they do not capt
ure the electoral vote.