The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-11-25


| it's representatives,. The young state
of Utah has a native son in the SEN
| ate in the person of Reed SmOOt. None
| OF the representatives or senators OF
| Wyoming or Washington were born
| in the state they now represent This
shows how much of the country is still
new.
The Fifth Republican House.
| The house of representatives which
has just assembled is the fifth in
succession that has been controlled
| by the republican, a length of party
masters that has not been equaled for
more than a quarter Of a century.
When the republicans went out OF
power in the house in 1875, they had
been in control for IA years. Since
i then no party has had more than six
years of power and the republicans
never more than two years at a time
until the present period of prepOnd-
erance. Mr.. Cannon's % years of con-
gressional service have been equally
divided between republican and demo-
cratic congresses.
Nevertheless certain signs of the
times are giving the republican lead
ers who are looking into their party's
future some misgivings The house
which has just assembled is noticeable
for a sOlidity of it's southern delega-
tons which has never been equal1ed
in the history Of the country, and in
the democratic strength of the large
cities outside of Pennsylvania and
Ohio. The delegations from Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina and Texas are sOlidly demo-
cratic. Kentucky has one vacancy Oc
casioned by death, which will doubt
less be filled by a republican, but
otherwise is sOlidly democratic. Mis-
souri,, with its Is seats, gives but one
to a republican, Virginia elects a SOL
itary republican from Big Stone Gap.
In former years the republicans have
picked up occasional districts through
out the south, even in Texas. They
always expected to have two or three
mountain districts in Kentucky, Ten
nesSee and North Carolina, as we'll as
the districts of st. Louis. But these
conditions no longer prevail, and the
republican party as a national Organi-
cation must be prepared to meet an al
most absolutely solid south. West
Virginia and Delaware, by this calcu-
latiOn, should be counted as the north
with which their manufacturing in
terests are now closely allied, and
Maryland is divided, but with these
exceptions and two districts of east
Tennessee, the south presents a solid
sectional front.
The great cities in the present house
are generally democratic. From the
is districts of the Greater New York
but two republicans have been select
ed-Dunwell, of Brooklyn, and William
II. Douglas, of Upper New York. Bos-
ton sends three democrats for the first
time. Chicago elects six republicans
and four democrats. Philadelphia,
Cleveland and Cincinnati are all repub-
lican, while of the smaller cities, San
Francisco, with two representatives,
is democratic, as are Detroit, Mime
apolis, Omaha and Providence with
one representative each. Baltimore
and Buffalo, each with two represent
atives, send divided delegations.
Throughout the rest Of the country
the republicans have polled very near
ly their maximum strength, especially
in the middle and far west, and but
for this fact they would not now con-
troll the house by the majority Of 80,
which will be increased to 80 when
the Kentucky vacancy is filled. A
change Of Is seats would overturn the
house, and there are that number
which the republicans hold by very
small pluralities. 1t is therefore clear
that republican control of the house Of
representatives hangs almost by a
thread, even in this era of great repub-
ican success, showing the way the
dice are loaded against them. AS yet
there is no evidence that the dominent
party has the courage to tackle the
southern problem. Mr.. Crumpacker,
rep, Ind, says that he comes to Wash
ingtOn with no place for the renewal of
his agitation looking toward carrying
out the terms of the fourteenth amend
ment. The impending presidential
campaign will doubtless prevent con-
sideration of any such issue during
the present winter. One argument
against this action, which apparently
may now be disregarded, is the fear
of republican losses in the south and
the border-state region. There is al
most nothing left to lose.
The present house contains more
than its share Of interesting charac-
ters, especially in view Of the fact
that it is the first one in many years
in which there is no populist or other
third party representation. Minneso-
ia sends John Lind, tall and ungainly
in appearance, but possessed of consid-
cradle Oratorical force in the language
of his adoption. J. Adam Bede a for
mer democratic office holder comes
to congress from Duluth. Among the