The Washington herald., 1906-10-29
SEATS IN CONGRESS
Republican Majority Likely
to Be Materially Reduced.
DEMOCRATS AGAIN MIXED UP
Their Prospects Looked Decidedly
Promising Three Months Ago, with
Strange Issues Have Been Injected
Into Campaign-Party at Sea Again.
}. O. stealey. in Louisville courler-Journal.

o. o. steaIey, in Louisville Courer-Jonrnal.
There is the usual speculation here as
to the control OF the next House of Rep
resentatives. As the Republicans now
have a majority Of ia in the House, it
seems hardly possible that they would
lose control of that body This large ma
iority, however, was obtained by the
great Roosevelt tidal wave that swept
over the country two years ago, and it
overwhelmed the few resoIute Democrats
who stood up and made a fight for their
party. In this Waterloo for the Demo
Gratis there were many reasons why they
were swept down and out, which are un-
necessary 10 enumerate. 1t is sufficient
to say that Of the many causes leading
to the slaughter of the innocents only
a few now exist. and there are excel
lent reasons 10 believe that the Demo-
cratic party. with the aid Of organized
labor, viii show up better at the polls
Tuesday a week than It did in 1s0i, and
perhaps as well as it did in 1902. In order.
therefore. to get line on the coming
elections, with a view of arriving at an
intelligent opinion as 10 the outcome.
it is proper TO make comparison with
the Congressional election OF four years
ago It is hardly probable though that
the opposition to the Republican party is
as strong this year as it was in 1892.
This is owing largely 20 the great per
sonal popularity of the President. and
the inability Of the Democrats TO present
a united front on great economic qes-
lions. The masses of the Democratic
party are all right, but the trouble for
the past decade has been that the Demo
cratic leaders or would-be leaders, have
failed to agree on questions affecting the
best interests Of the people.
DemOraliEed by Strange Issues.
Three months ago the signs in the
SoHtical sky were encouraging 10 the
Democrats They believed .hey could en-
ter the campaign this year on the great
question Of tariff reform, against the out
rageous!y Dingley high tariff law. Mr..
Roosevelt had robbed them OF absolute
IS everything else lie had stolen bodily
all the important planks from the Demo-
cratic platforms of 1SSi. 1900. and leot re-
lating 10 trusts and injustiCes OF railroad
corporations against the people lie left
reform. and at q time was Of n mind
10 steal that also. but the stand-patter
begged him out OF the notion. Since Au-
gust however some Of tie leaders Of the
Democratic party have gone of after
strange gods, having no claim or stand
ing on the part OF those who had kept
the Democratic faith from Jackson TO
Bryan and Parker. These things got the
old party all mixed up again. and the
chances of carrying the next House went
glimmering
However. things which can't be cured
must be endured. and while the old party
is badly disiigured IL IS still in the ring.
and mTy make q better showing Tuesday
than some o. those guessing. gassy. Re
publican managers think They are not
the whole bakery any more. Their cor
porauon contribution cake is not nearly
50 large and digestible as it was. As
matter of fact, X looks Ike dough, II Il
has not the taste. These Republican dis
trict managers have always had an
abundance OF slush funds to supply cam
paign workers. and those g W's are the
men who get the voters 10 the polls for
the Republican Congressional candidates
Republicans Lack Money.
Greenbacks and yellowbacks will be bad
ly needed this time next week outside OF
New York. That is generally the money
center Of the country, but particularly 50
at this time For the past month the
cry has come from the West and Middle
West tostbe National Republican Cam
paign Committee for money TO make the
mare go" but where the managers have
formerly sent a check for SI.00. only 500
is now forwarded 1t has come 70 that
for the committee is simply dealing out
some Of the leftover corporation money
OF 1904. X still has a pretty fair surplus
on hand, but il is not being wasted for
the Congressional campaign, for the rea-
son that the Republican managers be
iieve they will carry the House from
forty to fifty. and they know they will
need all the money they have for 1905
In this belief they are doubtless Justified
by political conditions. They should
surely do as well, if not better. than in
1892 In that year they carried the
House by g. Without going into details
by Congressional districts and taking the
vote of 1902 as Il basis, the Democrats
should gain at least thirty-five districts
and then they will only regain districts
that up 10 the 1904 slump belonged to
them and had belonged to them for years
The recovery Of these thirty-five districts
by the Democrats would reduce the pres
ent Republican majority in the House
seventy, and give them only about forty
majority.