The state herald., 1904-09-09
CONTROL CT THE HOUSE.
No Ground for Claim ing that Demo.
Gratis viii Bs Successfui.


With its usual penchant for exploiting
mares nests the New York Herald has
figured out a statistical possibility that
the election returns on the night Of
November will show n Democratic
House of Representatives" II also
thinks the Republicans may elect their
National ticket and still lose the House
by a large majority"
1t is interesting to observe the jug
Cling with improbalities out of which
this mares nest is constructed. As we
all know, the present membership Of ths
House is 1856. divided into POS Republi'
cans. lI2 Democrats. . Union Labor
Democrats and 4 vacancies, the Repub
lican majority being "a. The Herald
expert figures that there are 159 saf,
Democratic districts and only 1866 safe
for the Republicans. making IL necessary
for the latter to win 30 Of the II doubt
ful districts TO secure a majority, while
the former would only need 80.
But the Herald is confronted by th.
fact that OF these II, so-called. doubtful
seats the Democrats now only occupy
is 10 90 held down more or less secure
ly by Republicans. Nothing daunted
by this untoward condition il proceeds
10 talk glibly OF giving six so-cnlled
doubtful seats In Illinois, five In Indiana,
two In Iowa, three In Kansas, two In
Minnesota, four Ia Nebraska, six In
Ohio. FIVE in Pennsylvania and i've In
Wisconsin to the Democrats.
How this Is accomplished may be best
illustrated and exposed by the case a.
stated In regard to Illinois. The six
districts placed In the doubtful column
are the first and twenty. fourth, now
held by Democrats, the sixth, ninth
twenty-second. and twenty.ifth by Re
publicnns. "a considerable reduction In
the Republican vote In the State" says
this happy conJurer by the hope that
Is In II, might easily result In the cleo
tion OF six Democrats from these dis
tricts" Verify Il might result In the
election OF six dodos, were Il not for the
fact that the dodo Is an extinct bird.
In 1902. which was an of year for
Republicans In Illinois. Martin EN-
erich. Democrat, was elected In the
first, strong Republican district, by
a plurality OF i,l52, but solely by reason
Of fierce fnctlonal hght within the Re
publican ranks, which has subsidized.
Congressman Lorimer. Republican. had
n plurality OF only Ds5 In the sixth,
where the normal party majority Is over
5000. Ilo Is not meeting the same op'
position this year. Congressman Bou'
tell had a plurality OF 2,0S3 In the ninth.
His personal popularity alone insures his
reelection by an increased plurality.
Congressman ROdenberg had n plurality
Of 2.i5J Ia the twenty second. and the
district IA good for an Increased Republl'
can margin. Congressman Smith had
plurality OF 1901 In the twenty'ffth,
which Is more likely TO be doubled than
reduced next November.
or all the Illinois districts mentioned
rs doubtful the twenty. fourth, which
Congressman Williams carried by 252
In 1902. is the only on. where the Demo.
Gratis stand possible show In 1901,
aud there the strength OF the Republican
National and State tickets promises Mr..
Williams relief from further attend
ance In the House Of Representatives,
Mckinley carried the counties In this
district by over 200 plurality In 1000
Thus. with Rt least six OF the pos.
sibilities In the llernli's mares nest In
one State added. and with a like ansly.
sia revealing similar conditions In hll the
0thera, there l. good ground for nssum,
Ing thnt the Republicans viii not only
rotaln their present nscrnlanry In the
House OF Representatives. but will have
an Increased majority In the Fifty.uiGth
EonEFrHa.