Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-29
Next House Of Reprosontatlvea.


Next House OF Representative.
The optmis.s OF the Democratic party
are hopeful OF sweeping Democratic
victory throughout the country at the
elections Of next November and the con-
ser,atiye leaders are sure that there will
be large Democratic gains. But few of
tho latter look for a political upheaval
sufficient 20 reverse the complexion of
the House Of Representatives by making
il Democratic body.
A glance az the division Of the present
House win convince reasonable students
of politics that the conservatives OF the
Dcmocmtic party are more reasonable
than the optimists; for surely nothing
short Of a great political revolution will
make the next House Of Representatives
Democratic And 10 would be a mighty
revolution that would change the present
House, with its 2i0 Republicans and 1877
Domocrats-a Republican majority Of
ll2-into q House with Democratic
majority OF even one vote.
But the optimists. when confronted
with the improbability OF this political
task. point to the unusual circumstances
that attended the election of 1904, when
this Overwhelmingly Republican House
of Representatives was chosen The
enormous popularity Of President Roose-
welt, they insist, was responsible for many
Republican Congressman; but that popu-
larity has been lost to such degree, they
maintain, that the name of Roosevelt
viii be q drag to the Republican party in
this years elections, instead of an inspira-
tion to victory.
That something unusual had a marked
effect upon the Republican campaign Of
1904 is attosted by the unusual extent
OF the Republican gains in Congressional
districts. They lost only two Ropubli-
can districts, but they carried surprising
number Of Democratic districts. Their
gains comprised three Democratic dis
tricts in California, seven in Illinois,
two in Indiana, one in Iowa, one in Ken
tucky, one in Massachusetts,. one in Michi-
gan, one in Minnesota, eight in Missouri.
one in Nebraska, two in New Jersey, six
in New York, one in North Carolina, three
in New Jersey and two in Pennsylvania.
This makes a total of 40 districts carried
by the Democrats in 1902, which the Re
pubIcans carried in 1904. They gained
in Delaware also, but that was by reason
of the Republican factions coming to-
gether in 1904, whereas they had two can
didates for Congress in the field in 1902.
Now, even if the Democrats should
regain every one Of these lost districts.
including Delaware, they would siill be
short of a majority in the next House of
Representatives. These changes would
make the next House stand 20s Repub-
licans and i7S Democrats. a Republican
majority Of 80. Maniiostly. therefore.
the Democrats. in order to control the
next House win have TO hold an their
present districts, regain the Al Demo-
cratic seats that were lost in 1904. and
capture at least i6 districts now held by
the Republicans Is such a result pos
siblo Il is, Of course, as almost any
thing is possible; but only the blindest
political optimists will look upon il as a
probable outcome Of this years elections
for members of Congress.
The optimists of the Democratic party
reason It this way: A return of the Demo
cratic party 10 normal conditions makes
IL sure that the disastrous Democratic
losses Of 1904 viii be retrieved in 1906,
also, Republican dissonsions may be
counted upon to result in the loss Of a
large number Of ordinarily sure Repub-
lican districts. And there YOU have a
Democratic House Of Representatives.
Well, political revolutions are not an
common in this country and certainly
the conditions seem ripe for one this year
But those who look for one Of sufficient
proportions 10 make the next House oI
Representatives a Democratic body will
do well to keep their enthusiasm within
due bounds until after the returns are in