New-York tribune., 1904-09-24
SENATE NOT CERTAIN.
MIGHT REVISE TARIFF.
States Claimed for Parker You'd
Make Senate Democratic.
IFRoM THE TRIBUNE BUREAU. I


washington, Sept. 23.-Were the Democrats to
carry all the States claimed by such Of their
leaders as Taggart and Sheehan this fall they
would control the Senate after March 4. 1905. by
two votes; tariff revision, based on their plat
form assertion that protection is robbery
would become not Impossible but inevitable.
and the "irrevocably established gold standard
would be at the mercy OF such staneh gold
bugs as Henry NJ. Teller. Francis G. Newlands.
Fred T. Dubois. Thomas NJ. Patterson. Champ
Clark. David A. De Almond and Henry d. Clay
ton. not to mention William j. Bryan. who hopes
soon ito arrive in the Senate. Were Parker to
! be barely elected President with the votes OF
only portion of the States claimed by his cam
paign managers. a Democratic majority in the
Senate after March T. 1907 the middle Of
Parker's term. would in the judgment Of the
shrewdest politicians in Washington. be practi-
cally assured.
Talk in Washington over this situation turns
largely on the motive which prompted Mr..
Parker to say in his speech Of acceptance:
II is a fact and Is frankly conceded, that.
though our party be successful In the coming
contest. cannot hope to secure a majority Of
the Senate during the next four years. and hence
shall be unable 10 secure any modification Of
the tariff.
THIRTY SEATS TO FILL By MARCH 4.
Whatever may have been the Democratic can
didate's motive, the fact remains that Of the
thirty seats In the Senate to be filed by March
next twenty-three are now occupied by Re
pubIcans. One OF these. now held by Louis
McComas, OF Maryland. has already been filed
with Democrat Isidor Rayner. and of the
manning twenty-five twelve will be elected by the
legislatures Of States which the DemocTats now
claim 10 be doubtful. Among the Senators who
must seek reelection for themselves or for Re-
publican successors in the coming winter
Messrs. AIdrich. of Rhode Island; Bard. of Cali
ifornia; Clark. OF Wyoming; Depew. OF New
York: Beveridge. of Indiana; Dietrich, Of Ne
braska; Foster of Washington; Hawley. OF Con-
necticut; Kean Of New-Jersey; Quarles. OF Wis
consin; Scott. OF West Virginia. Ld Stewart. OF
Nevada. Were these twelve TO be succeeded by
Democrats that party would control the Senate
by two votes.
Mr.. Parker's assertion was therefore at least
a reputation OF the claims OF his campaign
managers. Perhaps no sane person believes that
the Democrats can gain control Of the Iegis-
Iatures in all the States they claim. but were
they to elect the President and the House their
chances OF securing majority OF the Senate two
years hence when thirty more seats must be
filled. including ten now occupied by Repub-
licans would be so materially enhanced that
there Is no doubt among those most competent
TO Judge that they would attain their end. thus
giving the Democracy entire control OF all the
branches OF the government in the second half
of Parkers term. Nor does this proposition
seem extravagant when it is reflected that all
the federal patronage would be in their control
and all the power which a Democrat in the
White House and Democratic majority in the
House imply would be theirs
Among the Republican Senators whose terms
will expire In the middle of the approaching
Presidential term Messrs. CuIlom, Of Illinois;
Dryden. of New-Jersey; Elkins. of West vir-
ginia: NIillard. of Nebraska: Mitchell. of Oregon;
Warren. OF Wyoming. and WetmOre. OF Rhode
Island, all from States now claimed by the Dem
ocratic campaign captains-alI. admittedly. from
States in which the Democrats will most hope
fully look for victory in the event OF their sue
cess this fall. Therefore. material discounting
Of their present claims would still leave abun-
dant chance Of Democratic control Of the Senate
IN the second half OF the coming Presidential
term.
PARKER's MISLEADING STATEMENT.
In the light of these facts many Republicans
are emphatic in their assertions that Mr.. Parker
must have permitted himself to deceive the pub
lie, and especially that great element which
would regard Democratic tariff tinkering as
equally disastrous with the effort Of that party
TO raadjust the schedules in 1898, when he de-
clared that 1T is a fact that we
cannot hope to secure a majority in the Senate
during, the next four years" Those who insist
on this view declare that unqualified assertion
based solely on probability would argue loose
ness OF thought and carelessness OF expression
hardly to be attributed to candidate whose al
legged judicial temperament and accuracy of ex-
preston constitute his chief, If not his sole.
qualifications for the office he seeks. They main
tain. moreover, that undoubtedly Mr. Parker.
feeling keenly the total inability Of his party 70
get together safe and sane platform at
ST. Louis. and appreeiatins fun well the menace
OF his own success which the deliberate platform
assertion that protection is robbery cOnsti-
tuted. probably felt that the end justified the
Continued page.