Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1904-09-09
CONTROL OF THE HOUSE.
No Ground for Claim ing that Demo-
Gratis Will BE Successfu1.

Gratis Will He Succes.fuI.
With its usual penchant for exploiting
mares nests the New York Herald has
figured out q statistical possibility that
the election returns on the night OF
November will show a Democratic
House of Representatives" 1t 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 the
House is 3S6, divided into POS Republic
cans, 172 Democrats, 2 Union Labor
Democrats and vacancies, the Repub-
lican majority being "a. The Herald
expert figures that there are 159 safe
Democratic districts and only 1876 safe
for the Republicans, making it necessary
for the latter to win 80 of the II doubt
full districts to secure a majority, while
the former would only need SO.
But the Herald is confronted by the
fact that of these II, so-called, doubtful
seats the Democrats now only occupy
Is to So held down more or less secure
ly by Republicans. Nothing daunted
by this untoward condition it proceeds
to talk glibly Of giving six so-called
doubtful seats in Illinois. five in Indiana.
two in Iowa, three in Kansas, two in
Minnesota, four in Nebraska, six in
Ohio, FIVE in Pennsylvania and five 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 by Re
publicans "a considerable reduction in
the Republican vote in the State" says
this happy conjurer by the hope that
is in it, might easily result in the cleo
ton of six Democrats from these dis
tricts." Verify it might result in the
election of six dodos, were it 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, a strong Republican district, by
a plurality of LISP, but solely by reason
Of fierce fractional fight within the Re-
publican ranks, which has subsidized.
Lorimer, Republican, had
l plurality Of only 9S5 in the sixth.
where the normal party majority Is over
1000. He is not meeting the same OPP |
position this year. Congressman Bou-
ell had a plurality Of 2,0S3 in the ninth.
His personal popularity alone insures his
reelection by an increased plurality. |
Rodenberg had plurality
# 2,154 in the twenty-second, and the
district is good for an increased Republi-
an margin. Congressman Smith had
plurality Of 2,3O1 in the twenty-ifth,
which i more likely to be doubled than
educed next November.
or all the Illinois districts mentioned
s doubtful the twenty-fourth, which
Williams carried by 252
n 1902. is the only one where the Demo-
rats stand a possible show in 1904,
nd there the strength Of the Republican
National and State tickets promises Mr..
Williams relief from further attend
nee in the House Of Representatives.
icKinley carried the counties in this
istrict By over 1900 plurality In 1900.
Thus. with at least six Of the pos
Utilities in the Herald's mares nest In ,
ne State added, and with a like analy- .
is revealing similar conditions In all the
theirs. there is good ground for assum-
IL that the Republicans win not only
etain their present ascendancy In the
Iouse of Representatives, but will have ,
n increased majority in the Fifty-ninth {
m |