The Delta independent., 1904-09-23
CONTROL tF THE HOUSE.
No Ground for Clair I'm ing that Demo-
crnt. VIII BE Snccessful.

With its usual penchant for exploiting
mares nests the New York Herald has
cured ont statistical possibility that
he election returns on the night of
November S will show a Democratic
House of Representatives" 1t also
links the Republicans may elect their
National ticket and still lose the House
10y large majority"
Il is interesting 10 observe the jug
.iing with improbalities out Of which
his mares nest is constructed. As we
all know, the present membership Of the
House il 3s6. divided into 2us Republi.
cans. H. Democrats. . Union Labor
democrats and 4 vacancies. the Repub
lean majority being "a The Herald
expert figures that there are 159 safe
Democratic districts and only 1856 safe
for the Republicans, making it necessary
for the latter To win 80 of the Il doubt
ful districts To secure majority, while
the former would only need SO.
But the Herald i confronted by the
fact that of these Il. so-called. doubtful
seats the Democrats now only occupy
IS to IS held down more or less secure
ly by Republicans. Nothing daunted
by this uutowari condition it proceeds
TO talk glibly of giving six so-called
leubllul seats III lIlAll'l--
two 10 Iowa. three in Kansas, two in
Minnesota. four in Nebraska. six in
Ohio. five in Pennsylvania and Eve in
Wisconsin to the Democrats.
How this is accomplished may be best
illustrated and exposed by the case as
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 fifth by Re
publicans- "A considerable reduction in
the Republican vote in the State says
this happy conjurer by the hope that
is in il. might easily result in the elec-
ton of six Democrats from these dis
tricts" Verify it might result in the
election of six dodos, We're it not for the
fact that the dodo is an extinct bind.
In 1902. which was an off year for
Republicans in Illinois. Martin En-
erich, Democrat. was elected in the
first. a strong Republican district, by
a plurality Of l.l52, but solely by reason
OF fierce factional fight within the Re
publican ranks. which has subsidized.
Congressman Iorimer. Republican. had
a plurality OF only 2S5 in the sixth,
where the normal party majority is over
5000. He is not meeting the same op-
position this year. Congressman Bou'
tell had plurality OF 2,o>SS in the ninth
His personal popularity alone insures his
reelection 10y an increased plurality.
Congressman Ro,ienberc had plurality
Of o.l54 in the twcnty-secnnd. and the
district is good for an increased Repuhli-
can margin. Congressman Smith had a
plurality of 2.3nl in the tw.uty-hfth.
which is more likely 10 be doubled than
reduced next November.
OF all the Illinois districts mentioned
as doubtful the twenty-fcurth. which
Congressman Williams carried hy ~
in 1902. is the only ouc where the Demo-
Gratis stand possible show in 1904.
and 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 100 plurality in 1900.
Thus. with at least six OF the pos
sibilities in the Herald's mares nest in
one State addlei. and with like analy-
sis revealing similar conditions in all the
others. there is good ground for assum-
ing that the Republicans will not only
retain their present ascendancy in the
House of Representatives. but will have
an increased majority in the Fifty ninth
Congress.