The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-11-23
THE REPUBLICAN GAINS AND
WHAT THEY MEAN.

| Nearly all the papers continue to
inform their readers that the Repub-
lican majority in the House elected in
November will be the greatest in his
tory. AS a matter of fact the great
est majority the Republicans have
ever gained in the House was in the
election of 1894. during the second
year of Mr.. Cleveland's administra-
ton. There were then $50 members
of the House and the Republicans
elected 244, majority over the DEM
ocrats of 140 and a majority over all
! Of 1885, In the election on the Sth of
this month, the Republicans elected
it5I members of the House and the
Democrats 1876, a majority of 116, the
present House having a membership
of 3S6.
What does this great gain mean !?
That all depends. If it is permanent,
it means that Republicanism is DOM
inant for many years to come. But is
it permanent? Here is the view of
Savoyard. as expressed in the Wash
ington Post
1T was a famous victory, but only a
snort fourteen years ago there was
greater and more signal victory for
the Democratic party. In 1890 the
Republicans carried only three States
east of the Mississippi River. The
| Democrats met with no such disaster
as that this year. In 1890 the Repub-
| licans elected only lightweight men,
/ hers of the Fifty-second Congress, and
| the Democratic majority in that Con-
/ IL III
| tire Republican membership. MaSSa
chusetts, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois,
Iowa, and Minnesota, all traditional
! Tie publican States, went Democratic,
and went 'hell-bent." Kansas and
Nebraska went Populist, and the "piv-
otal' States-Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, Delaware and Indiana
were overwhelmingly Democratic
The South. including West Virginia
and Maryland was intensely solid
There has not been such a disastrous
Waterloo for political party since
1852 as 1890 was for the Republican
party-not even 1872 nor 1904.
Then what are the Democrats
crying about, and why cannot they be
comforted? Even in 1892 their vic
tory was as pronounced as the Repub-
lican victory is this year, and the
Wigs had a bigger victory in 1910.
The electorate, from the era of the
Grecian democracies TO the time of
the American republics, was ever
tickle. When Wilkes was cheered by
his followers, supporter of Lore
North remarked to him in derision
i our friends sir; your friendsn
and have good mind to make them
your enemies and so the cry of
Wilkes and Liberty swept over the
England of that epoch, as the cry OF
| Roosevelt and Americanism' has
swept over tho United States of our
t me. You can't beat q good cam
paign cry, and you can't beat pros
perlty."
The wise Republicans are not de-
ceivad into believing the big majority
can be counted upon "for keeps"
They thank their stars that the Demo
Gratis did not press the trust and tariff
issue more strenuously, exposing the
indefeneible schedules that impose
heavy taxes or the people for no pur-
pose except to enrich the trusts. AL
ready the Republicans, who scent dan
ger in the position of their party in its
favoritism to the trusts, are earnestly
advocating a reduction of the tariff
They do not wish to go far but the
New York Tribune is out in an editor
iaI declaring for certain tariff revis-
ion. Other Republicans are urging
upon the President the importance OF
calling an extra session of Congress to
revise the tariff. The President is rep
resented as being inclined to favor
moderate reduction. The stand Pat
ters'' have not yet been heard from.