Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-27
POLITICAL OUTLOOK
Review of the Situation as It
Now Stands.
THE NATIONAL TICKET
APPEARS TO BE SAFE FOR THE
REPUBLICANS.
The Congressional Field is Not by Any
Means Sure-The Debat-
able Districts.
THE NATIONAL TICKET

prospects at this stage Of the contest to be
about as follows:
q The national outlook Is highly encour-
aging to the republicans. it might be said
almost rose-colored.
The situation in New York state is still
open; neither party has its difficulties ID
justed to the point of promising 1t victory.
The congressional outlook is not as favor
able to the republicans as they might de-
sire. 1t is by no means assured that re-
publican House Is to be elected, even with
the national ticket helping to pull through
the congressional ticket-this situation by
reason of peculiar local conditions in the
respective districts.
1t is useless to attempt to deny the fact
that the democratic national organization
is inferior to and far less effective than the
republican organization. Chairman Taggart
explains that by saying that the party in
power naturally has the nucleus Of an or
ganization always existent, and therefore
can more readily get into shape. The fair
minded and unbiased observer Of affairs in
New York, however, can find another rea-
son for the wide margin Of difference be-
tween the apparent effectiveness of the
two organizations at this time.
The Two Organizations Contrasted.
The republican national organization is
compact positive and as thoroughly disci-
plined as a military post. There is one
man at the head of it whose word is final,
and whose judgment nobody presumes to
question.
At the democratic headquarters there ap-
pear to be several heads with equal au-
thorty, and, it is whispered, with conflict
ing views and opinions, sometimes. There
is Chairman Taggart to begin with; then
there is Chairman Sheehan of the eXecu-
tive committee, and Vice Chairman Delan-
cey Nicoll of the national committee. Then
there is also Mr.. Belmont, the financier of
the democratic campaign, who is as much
in evidence in the direction of affairs as
any of the ''chairmen.
At the democratic state headquarters
there is Chairman Cord Meyer; then there
is Mr.. Pat McCarren, chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee, with an inimical Tam
manyite subchairman in control of down.
state politics and still another subchair-
man in control of upstate affairs. 1t is
already notorious that these different
chairmen do not agree on policies and pro-
gram.
1t is not to be denied that the Belmont
SEeehan-McCarren group are in control of
the national COMMITTEES, Notwithstanding
that Mr. Taggart of Indiana is chairman.
Mr.. Belmont IS furnishing ample campaign
funds. 1t is subject of common gossip in
New York that Mr.. Belmort's profits in the
recent deals in Interborough stock could
alone fit out the national committee very
comfortably without touching his other
sources.
At national headquarters, Mr.. Belmont,
Mr.. Sheehan and Mr.. Delaney Nicoll
have the front rooms and Chairman Tag
gart a quiet rear room, where he is not so
likely to be disturbed by callers. 1t is COM
monty reported among the politicians in
New York that it is very difficult for the
western and southern Campaigners to
list the interest of the belmont -Shee ham
MCCarren grOuD in questions that do
relate especially to New York state
1t is said that although the democratic
national committee is well supplied with
cash, 1T has not furnished Chairman Cow
herd of the democratic congressional COM
mittee with the necessary sinews of war
and it was understood in New York that the
congressional committee is not doing much
at this time.
The situation in the state is very much
involved for both parties Careful inquiry
IN confidential quarters failed to elicit on
umistic expressions from either camp. The
democrats have their troubles and the re-
pubiicans plenty of them also The re-
publican outlook seems to be Frightening.
out the fight yet has to be Won
The Congressional Situation.
Many people have considered that the I'M
den1ably bright Roosevelt prospects would
pun the congressional ticket out of Difficult
'ies IN the close districts. That NAV he
true. Inc republican managers, however.
are not proceeding upon that theory. but
regarding the congi essional situation solely
on lts merits. From that viewpoint the ont
look is not as bright as the managers 1vonla
desire to have 1t.
Sonsiderlng the congressional situation in
detail. the summing up of affairs in the
@ u.s.iicts SHOWS That there are about sew
enty-one districts which are fairly debata-
pie and which could be considered fair
hshting ground for either democrats or re-
pubiicans: The present republican majority
~ .hs rouse Is ~, excluding the seats
gained py contested cases decided hy the
House itself In some of the seventy-one
debatable districts the prospects are more
favorable to the democrats than to the re-
publicans.
Balancing the reports from authoritative
democratic and republican sources a BIRDS
eye view of the conditions In the respective
distrlcts can be obtained. 1t may be stated
that neither the democratic nor republican
managers are binding themselves bv fat
tering conditions, but are trying to find the
weak spots in their respective fences and
put up some barbed wire
Going over the list alphabetically Califor-
MIA presents three districts that are admit
ted to be debatable-the second and the two
San francisco districts. In Colorado, where
there are two strong republican factions and
on account of the acute labor troubles the
three districts. although now represented by
republicans, are declared debatable. In Con-
necticut two of the five districts are con-
sidered surely republican, the other three to
be hotly contested. In Delaware the out
look is uncertain.
Illinois Is counted by the republicans as
absolutely safe on the national ticket On
the congressional ticket six districts are
said to be open to fight for either party,
four of them now represented by republi-
cans and two by democrats The districts
thus classed are the first, SIXTH ninth,
twenty-second, twenty-fourth and twenty
fifth.
There are nine republicans in the present
Indiana delegation, and IT is thought that
six Of them are safe. The first, fifth and
thirteenth districts are thought to be de-
batable.. Only two districts in Iowa. the
second and sixth. are expected to present
fighting ground for the two parties.
In Kansas the democrats will make a
strong fight in the Bowersock district,
where the opposition is personal to the can
didate, and in the Campbell and Reedar
districts. In Massachusetts, three districts
are In the balance. Minnesota is safely re-