The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-31
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY II
HOUSE WILL CONTINUE.
DOUBTFUL IN new YORK
Conceded That Empire State Will Be
Close With Trend Toward
Coler.

Washington, Oct. 2S.-The Washing
ton Post today publishes a careful
and thorough forecast of the result
of the election next week, embracing
long special dispatches from every
state in which there are doubtful and
close districts. The Post comedies
that the indications point to a repub-
lican victory and suggests that the
party will have a majority of 80 in
the next house. After cautiously
making this claim, the Post adds:
But while the signs are pro-repub-
lican as to congress, it should not be
forgotten that the campaign may be
wen or lost in the sever days now in
t%ervening between election day. A
majority of 80 would be wiped out by
probably 40 districts in the northern
states which are apparently republi-
can, but may, by developments of
this week, go to the democratic col
umn. The period will probably be the
most critical in the fate of any cam
paign in the last 20 years."
The Pest thinks two districts are
close in Minnesota, the fifth and sixth.
The republicans are fearful and their
estimates from congressional head
quarters are based on indications
which they realize may prove faulty.
The strong democratic tendencies in
the states of New York and Pennsyl-
vania may become important factors.
New York Rather Doubtful.
The New York Herald and Brock
Ign Eagle have conducted very care
full polls in the empire state which
lead to the conclusion hat if Gov
ernor Odell is reelected he will have
comparatively a meager majority
whereas the trend seems to be con-
stantly toward Coler. A separate poll
made by the New York World reaches
this conclusion also.
A similar situation is said by i'm
partial observers to exist in Penn
sylvania. With a reduced republican
majority in these two states, which
appears to be the best the party car
hope for, it is not difficult to see hat
there might be a big slump in the bal
1nfino for TnDr1hIiHon fNnOrncCnAn
The estimates give the republicans
a majority of the congressman from
both these states, but the voting is
so uncertain, particularly in New
York, that it would be nothing Won
derful if the congressional figures
were nearly reversed and the demo-
Gratis gained there quite enough to
wipe out the estimated majority of
80.
Generally when republicans are
scared they fight better, and in years
gone by a republican majority has
several times been snatched from ap-
parent defeat. But that has appeared
when republicans possessed mighty
~exchequers which made it possible
for them to throw small armies Of
political workers against the unforti-
fed democratic communities. This
year the republicans are not so well
supplied with funds.
Nevertheless, after all mas been
said as to the doubtful clements, it
looks like a safe republican majority.
Chairman Babcock has had much diff
iiculty in securing campaign subscrip-
tions from the capitalistic frcces in
New York, which in former years
have usually supported the republican
candidates Loyalty. The reason for
the lukewarmness this year is two
fold: First, the knowledge that the
senate is safely republican and that
a democratic house can do the coun-
try nc harm; and second, growing dis
like for Roosevelt, on account of his
trust policy, among certain Wall
street elements. The former is prob
ably more powerful than the latter,
however, in reducing campaign con
tributions this year.