New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-19
THE NEXT HOUSE.

The Hon. William S. Cowherd, Of Missouri.
the new chairman Of the Democratic Congress
sional Committee is already carrying the next
House Of Representatives. He is not CARRYING
1t by the enormous majorities rolled I'D about
this time two years ago by his Mark Tapley
predecessor the Hon. Jim" Griggs, of Georgia
He Is satisfied to scratch through for the pres
ent with margin Of two or three seats. There
is majority Of only thirty-two against us now"
he said the other day in his first bulletin from
headquarters. And we shall be able to take
more than sixteen seats away from the Re-
'pubrcans." Mr.. Cowherd puts the majority
against his party IN the House at thirty-two. In
the House as elected in November, 1902, the
Republican majority was only thirty. It has
been increased since then. through the unseat-
ing Of Mr.. Howell, Of Pennsylvania. and Mr..
Shafroth of Colorado, TO thirty-four. Count
ing the Xth Pennsylvania and LIST Colorado as
Republican districts, the Democrats will have
to recover eighteen seats to win the House. The
new Democratic chairman wisely refrains from
naming the districts now Republican which he
expects to carry. To do that might uncover his
own plans But ii would likewise expose the
rainbow character Of his hopes and calculations.
There is, in fact, only the remotest prospect OF
Democratic gains in the next House of Repre-
sentatives Under the national appointments
of 1888 and 1891 the House was normally Demo-
cratic Under the appOrdonment OF 19Ol 1t has
become normally Republican. The elections OF
1902 gave the Democratic party as full repre-
sentation in the lower branch Of Congress as
if is entitled TO under "Off year. conditions; and
# is more likely TO lose seats than to gain them
in the stress Of a Presidential contest. In the
New-England States two years ago five Demo-
cratic Representatives were elected-four In
Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island. Two
of the Massa chusetts districts are likely to be
recovered by the Republicans this fall, and the
Rhode Island one is pretty certain to be. Sure
IL no Democratic gains can be reasonably looked
for in New-England. In New-York the LIST, With,
With and XIIIth districts, carried two years
ago by Democratic candidates, will probably be
recaptured or the thirty-seven Representatives
from this State the Republicans should elect
twenty-three at least, against twenty in 1902.
In Pennsylvania one district now Republican
may be lost; but that loss can easily be re-
couped by carrying Delaware. which two years
ago, with rival Republican nominees in the
field, elected a Democrat.
In the South there is no prospect Of Demo
cratic gains. The Republicans will retain the
two seats they now have from Tennessee, and
the single seats now theirs from Missouri and
Kentucky. They may lose one seat In Mary
land and one in Virginia. but they have an ex-
cellent chance 10 capture at least one seat in
Western North Carolina. West Virginia has
failed but once since 1894 to elect solid Re
publican delegation. Republican representation
from the South has reached its minimum.
There is little hope of reducing IT further. In
the Middle West Mr. Cowherd may possibly
count on gaining one district in Ohio; but he
will do well TO hold the five districts now
counted as Democratic In Michigan, Wisconsin
Minnesota, Nebraska and Iowa. In the Far
West the Democratic outlook is equally unprom-
Using A seat in Montana may be won, but at
least two OF the three districts in California
now Democratic are in danger of capture A
Democratic Presidential candidate nominated
TO placate the East cannot appeal effectively TO
the West. Two years ago the Democratic Con-
gressional Committee encouraged candidates TO
nun each on his own platform" This year
l.Dsmecrstic= principles will have to bs.sedsfned