The Minneapolis journal., 1902-11-11
THE SPEAKERSHIP
IS FIRST BATTLE
The Campaign of 1904 Is Certain to
Be Fought With the Tariff
I, as the Issue.
The Trend Of Events is Now Recog-
nized by All Eastern
Politicians. sr
Figures That Emphasize the Repub-
f.l:oo,, ". ~ -. %1A
Figures That Emphasize the Repub-
lican Victory in the
!: J. ~ u: ::A~:ssss. Election.

Washington, Nov. 11.-No high tariff
speaker can be elected without handicap
ping the republican party for the presiden-
tiaI campaign.
This fact is now generally recognized
for it is plainly seen that the tariff, with
the trusts, as a concrete statement of the
case, will be the chief democratic cam
paign issue in 1904. The democrats claim
that this is the way the situation will de-
velop, and the republicans do not deny it.
The first skirmish will be seen in the elec-
tion of a speaker of the ifty-eigh' on
gress.
Peg Mr.. Dalzel's election would be taken to
mean, and the democrats would give it
wide publicity and strong emphasis, that
the republicans were not sincere when, in
every close district last month, they prom
lised> that the republican party would bring
revision on at the earliset possible mo-
ment. -
The majority of the republicans of the
fifty eighth congress come from states
where the revision is rampant. New
England, New York, Pennsylvania,
Maryland, New Jersey and California
which embrace the whole Of the anti-re-
sion territory, will have ninety republican
votes in the fifty eighth congress. The
rest of the country, the states of the north
which lie between the Allegheny and the
Rocky mountains, including Oregon and
Washington, will have 11S votes, or ma
jority of twenty-eight. These revision
lists will elect as speaker some man of
their own type, and it will not be Da1zell
Of Pennsylvania, who is probably closer
to the protected interests of the country
than any other, member of the lower house.
That man will probably be Cannon of Illi-
nois, although Babcock of Wisconsin wills
come In If he can find that he has as many
as six chances out. of ten of winning.
Should Babcock be a candidate, and di
vide the western republican vote with
Cannon. Dalzell will not profit anything,
for in the event Of a deadlock either Bah
cock would go to Cannon, or Cannon to
Babcock; neither would 90 to Dalzell.;
Littlefield Of Maine, is also in the race,
but he stands on precisely the ground oc-
cupied by Dalze11, and in break he would
go to Dalzel, or Dalzel to him. The fight
is very likely to lie between Dalzell and
Cannon, and the chances strongly favor
the latter, for reasons stated above The
revisionists will control the fifty eighth
congress, and would be foolish to elect as
speaker man unaltefab1y opposed TO
their views. That IS the view Of the sftua-
ton taken by public men IN this city,. -
|. 81. =: .'': The Victory, Emphasized. =;
|; The complete election returns emphasize
the sta atement that was made in these dis
patches last week regarding the turning
Of. the great west to the republican COL,
l. uAAAAi.- - IAS Oll year 0lSCC1On 1898,
this great section, comprising fifteen
| states, was about evenly divided. Eight of
the states gave republican majorities and
seven democratic majorities. This year
the democrats carried but one of the f1f-
teen. :
Carrying eight Of these states in 1898
the republicans had a majority of "a, 800
Carrying fourteen of them this year, that
majority has increased to 273, 6OO In
other words, the republican majority in
the "off year. 1902 is nearly double what
1t was in the "off year 1898, with which
comparison is made, while the democratic
| majority has almost sunk out of sight.
-Four years ago the republican party
elected forty members of congress in the
western field this year it elects forty
nine. The democrats four years ago
elected twelve members of congress; this
year the number falls to nine, in spite Of
the increased representation Of that sec
ton under the new reapportionment,
I It is pointed out in the east that the
election result In the; west demonstrates
the: 1mpossfbility OF a political union be-
tween the west and the south. In 1895,
when number Of western states voted
for, Bryan, it was: fondly hoped by demo-
cratic leaders that that long desired union
was about to be consummated; but since
1898 the west has drifted away from the
south; and to-day is as solidly republican
as the south is solidly democratic.
| 1.-THE Sorrows Of Werther"
Amid this scene of western democratic
desolation the figure of w. J. BRYAN
stands. forth like specter. Vainly' he
tries to gather comfort from the result
and by adroit twisting Of words to DEM
onstrate. that his cause is not lost It is
p1tiable% spectacle. The one thing which
the result in the west has emphasized
more than anything else is the fact that
Mr.: Bryan has been repudiated in the
house OF his friends, and is to-day with
out any, following in the west. as for sew
eral years he has been without any in the
east and SOUTH, His name can no longer
be used t. conjure with. AS a leader
his day is past. ~
Democratic leaders are assuming that
he will cut no figure in the convention and
campaign of 1904, and are busily engaged
looking for some one around whom to
rally in an effort to win the presidency.
It is about time. Another presidential
campaign with Bryan In the saddle run
ming things, and there would be no dem
ocratic party. The law Of self -preserva-
tion demands his permanent retirement.
and its operations are certain, though.
as in the present instance, sometimes
slow. - - -
-.-s.-.z. r.. vs... s.-a, w. W.. Jermane.
= =