The Savannah morning news., 1902-03-09
FOR CONTROL OF NEXT HOUSE
DEMOCRATS WILL MAKE DETER
MINED EFFORT.

Congress Are Looking About for
Another Leader-RepubIican Are
Sore on BabcOck Because of His
Fight on the Tarin-Senator Till
man Receives Much Mail These
Days.
Washington, March There is going
to be an exciting struggle for the con-
troll of the next House of Representa-
tives to be elected the coming fall.
Democrats and Republicans in Con-
gress are already specializing on the
coming campaign and preparing for one
of the sharpest combats the two parties
have had for many years past. Just
now both parties are looking over the
field to select a leader to act as chair
man of the Congressional committee.
The Democrats have already received
formal notice from Representative Rich
ardson, Of Tennessee that he will not
be a canidate for reelection. A num-
Der of available men have been sugges-
ted. but no selection has yet been made.
The Republicans are looking around
for someone of succeed Representative
Babcock, Of Wisconsin who is not now
in favor with the Administration or a
majority of his party associates in the
House because of his anti-high protec-
tive theories.
The Democrats are in more hopeful
state of mind with regard to obtaining
control of the House than they have
been for several years past. They are
encouraged by the harmony which eX-
lists in their own ranks and they expect
to profit by the discussions which pre-
vail in the Republican party growing
out of pending legislation and dissatls-
faction at certain lines of policy pur-
sued by the Administration. 1t remains
to be seen whether the wounds will be
healed before the election day rolls
around and whether the Republican
discipline will prevail against Demo-
cratic enthusiasm and ambition to
name the next Speaker of the House of
Representatives.
Why Democrats Have Hopes.
Although it is too early to indulge |
freely in speculation as to what the re-
suit viii be, it is nevertheless fact
that the Democrats in Congress profess |
to be greatly encouraged by the out |
look and they are preparing TO place |
their strongest and best men in COM |
mand all along the line. There is un-
doubtably a wide division of sentiment
in the Republican party between the |
high protectionists in the East and the |
low tariff men in the West. The latter
class are freely indulging in threats of |
what they are prepared to do unless |
their claims to recognition are recog-
nized. These family rows in the Re- |
publican tent are not new and when the |
final roundup comes they usually con-
trive to swallow their differences OF |
opinion and bow to the will of the |
party mandates. At present the Demo- |
Gratis have their "spunk" up and seem |
confident that with proper management |
and united efforts they have at least |
good fighting chance to transform the
present Republican majority in the
House into a minority. 1t is the ag-
gressive element in the Democratic
party in the House that is forging to
the front and for that reason Repre-
sentative Richardson. who is highly
tive and too passive TO lead in what is
proposed to be a. Democratic dash for
victory.
senator MasOn's Tactics.
Senator BILLY" Mason is making a
desperate struggle to retain his seat in
the Senate. He is leaving no stone un-
turned to convice the voters of Illinois
that he can render them valuable and
efficient service in Washington. He
has an original and unique plan of
campaign which is calculated to make
a good impression upon certain class
of people in the West. One of his
strong claims for popularity is based
on the fact that he is what the boys
call a good mixer. He is always
ready and willing to extend some per-
sonal courtesy to every voter from I'LL
nois who comes to Washington.
One of his latest methods of cam
paigning is. to employ, for general dis |
tributiOn cards to the reserved gallery |
of the Senate. There is no limit placed |
upon a Senator as to how many of |
these reserved gallery cards may be
issued. They are handsomely engraved |
with blank spaces left for the name of
nose receiving them with the time for
which they shall be issued and also |
containing the autograph of the Sena-
tor.
In addition to the printed formula |
Senator Mason adds TO the cards he so |
freely distributes among his friends the |
following:
Good until March 3, 1903. To be re-
newed thereafter if you give me the |
authority
It is understood that every visitor |
from Illinois who has called on Senator |
Mason in Washington this winter has |
received one of these cards. 1t is said |
that il all the holders Of the Mason re-
served gallery tickets should assemble |
in Washington at the same time they |
would more than occupy the space in /
all of the galleries of the Senate, public |
and reserved. In the meantime Senator |
Mason continues to gladden. the hearts |
of tourists from Illinois by sending /
them home with one of the gallery /
cards in their inside pocket
Senator TiIIman's Big Mail.
During the past year Senator Till /
man has spent his entire time while in
the Senate Chamber devouring the con-
tents of his enormous mail. He oc- |
cupies a CONSPICUOUS seat at the end of |
the third row on the middle isle and |
he is pointed out to visitors as one of |
the features of the Senatorial arena. |
Each delivery of mail at the Capitol |
brings him a. big bundle of letters. He |
piles them up before him on his desk |
and deliberately reads each one putting |
to one side those which appear to have |
some special mention of the recent in |
cident if which he figured. Occasion |
ally he will leave his seat and go over |
to the Republican side of the Chamber |
and show the contents of a letter to |
Senator Spooner, or Senator Hoar, or |
Senator Gallinger indulging in a few |
playful comments and then return to |
his seat and continue reading his mail |
One of his Senatorial associates play |
fully remarked ''if Tillman's correspon-