The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-03-29
THE CONGRESSIONAL CONTEST
Work During the Coming
Campaign.

The republicans Of the country at
large will be pleased to know that
their representatives in Washington
are alive to the Importance Of the cleo
ton for the national legislature which
IL to be chosen few months hence.
There is to be general reorganization
of both the republican and the demo-
cratic congressional campaign COM
mittees. For the past few congress
sional canvasses the republicans have
had very efficient congressional cam
paign committee. 1t IL their object to
make the new one still more effective
II possible. Each state Is to select its
own member Of the committee. Con-
siderable care will be shown in the
choice of the members. The object In
to get the most and the best work done
which is possible. Much depends ON
the personnel of the committee, a fact
which is well known to the leaders Of
the party throughout the country, says
the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
1t is easy to show that the canvass
for congress in 1902 will be of special
Importance to the republican party
and the country. Twenty-nine mem
bers have been added to the roll Of
the house of representatives by the
apportionment which was made last
year on the basis Of the census Of 1900.
The house which will be chosen in the
latter part of this year will have 3s6
members, and, of course, will be that
much larger than the largest house
which the country has had. All sec
tions of the country-New England,
the old middle states, the south, the
middle west and the west-will get
some of the additional members. u
is to the interest of the republicans Of
every state and every district to select
their best men for the candidacy. The
democrats are going to make des-
perate effort to gain the house which
is to be chosen this year. They want
to control one branch of congress in
the last half of the presidential term.
There are particular reasons why the
republicans should defeat them in this
purpose. Much important legislation
growing out Of the war with Spain will
remain over to the congress which is
to be chosen this year. The republican
party, which controlled the country
during that war and ever since then
should make an especial endeavor to
retain power until all the issues grow
ing out of that conflict are settled.
Every congressional contest begin
ming with 1894 has been won by the
republicans. This is an unusually long
period of uninterrupted success by
one party. Nothing like it has been
known before since the second cleo
ton of Grant as president in 1872. It
has been the fate of both the great
parties since then to drop out Of power
in the house of representatives at
shorter intervals than this along I'M
til the republicans got control of that
body in the contest of 1894. Almost
always the margin of the party which
has the president is smaller in the con-
gress chosen in the middle of his term
than it was in that elected with him.
The republicans have lead of over 40
in the present house. They could lose
a few members and still have fair
working majority In that chamber.
But they should see to it that they re-
tain their present lead or increase IL.
The outlook for republican victory is
good in the election this year. A VIC
tory cannot be gained, however, no
matter how good the record of the par
ty may be in the presidency and con-
gress, except by intelligent prepara-
ton and hard work. The republican
congressional campaign committee
which is to be formed week or two
hence is to be intrusted with the i'm
portant task of organizing victory.