The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-21
What Might Have Been and May Be.
Baltimore Sun.


 There were signs during the recent Con- gressional campaign that the Republi- can party regards the undivided respon- sibility of meeting the problems and issues now calling for solution with some degree of apprehension. Upon the conduct of affairs at the session of Congress which begins next month and at that which be- gins next year, when the new Congress- men elected November begin work, will depend to a large extent the lines upon wEich the great battle for the Presidency will be fought and perhaps the result of that battle. Whatever lessons have been taught by the late elections there is one that stands out conspicuousy. And that is that the Democratic party Is more nearly united now than since the cleo ton of 1892. and that neither party, in all human probability, will have walk over the track in the next race The sil- yer issue. which has divided the party for ten years or more, has disappeared. and with its disappearance the party in pow CT Is confronted with united opposition. It is true that those States which went Republican at the late election have a vast majority of the electoral vote; 1t is also true that a comparatively small change in some of the States or the coming out of the stay-at-home vote of five or six thousand votes in the great State of New York would have trans ferred that State, with it's S9 electoral votes. to the Democratic column. The CnanRG or l,UDU votes WOulu nave California into the other column, and small changes in other States would have given to the Democrats States which cast a majority of the votes in the electoral colleges The electoral votes of 1904 will number 476 making 239 necessary to a choice The States carried by the Demo- crats at the late elc 'tion have 16l votes Add to these New !. California, Mary land and New Jersey 1ere would be 24O electoral votes. IL 5e and other States are debatable ground is not to be denied. and for which party they will cast their electoral votes the next time may depend largely upon the conduct of tho Republican party in Congress at the next two a1ions. It will be well for that party to appreciate that fact and get to work to legislate for the welfare of the people.
 can leaders have been telling the Presi- dent that he saved the day tor the Repuh- lican party. He did it. so it IS assumed. not only by his action in the coal-strlke matter but by the policies he advocated in his speeches during the campaign These policies included the following lm- portant items.
 The restraint of the power of the trusts and combires by act of Congress, includ- Ing an amendment to the Federal Consti- tuition to give Congress greater power.
 The revision of the tariff upon lines to he suggested by a tariff commission.
 reciprocity treaty With Cuba
 The people have intrusted the Republi- can party with unrestricted power until March 4 1905. There is no escape from the responsibility which has been put up on them and which they have assumed It may be that many doubt the. efficacy of the methods ot reform which the Pres ident has suggested. There is general dis trust of the plan for curbing the trusts, which involves a constitutional amend m It, and our experience with tariff com missions is not encouraging. But no one doubts the sincerity of the President and his honesty of purpose. The plans he suggests are a sufficient admission that remedial legislation is demanded, and the people will look to the party in pow CT for an honest effort next winter to per form the promises which the President, in effect and many State and district con- ventions. in direct terms, have made.