The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1906-04-27
A Democratic House 2
From the n. Y. Times, Rep.

Our Washington dispatches report that the
Republican leaders go in fear OF a DeIIocraiic
majority in the House Of Representatives in
the next Congress, while the Democratic lead
ers seem less sure OF the change and not too
eager for II.
The impression in the country generally is,
we think, that it is high time for change,
and that one would pretty surely take place II
the opposition party were in a state OF morale
and organization 70 make the most of the dis
content actually existing with the party in
power, but that this is so far from being the
case that the Republicans are likely 10 rub
along with a reduced majority. Close observ-
ers of the currents of popular sentiment in
specific localities, and there are no closer than
the Republican leaders, see, however, symp-
toms that the Republicans will not be able TO
resist the adverse forces which. disparate as
they undoubtedly are, may be united against
them next Fall The chief Of these forces are
directly inconsistent one with the other. On
the one hand, there is strong feeling that the
Administration and the party 10 Congress are
more or less directly responsible for the scan
dals that have been recently exposed, Of which
the heavy campaign contributions in the year
1904 were so prominent feature, and to this
feeling is added the resentment of organized
labor at the failure TO comply with the de.
mands Of the trades unions as to labor meas
ures. On the other hand, there is a rather
deeply rooted distrust among conservative
men Of the policy of the administration and of
the House Of Representatives on questions like
that of railway rate regulation.
Certainly the classes affected by the first of
these feelings have little in common with the
class affected by the latter, and it is not easy
TO see for what definite end they may unite.
That, nevertheless, will not necessarily prevent
them from uniting. An adverse majority in
the House OF Representatives is not revol-
utionary happening for an Administration in
the latter half of Its term. Ii has occurred so
frequently that until recently ii was regarded
rather as the rule than the exception. Nor is
it unprecedented that such thing should fol-
low tremendous victory for the party tempo
rarily rebuked The then unprecedented
triumph of the Republican Party in the sec.
ond election of President Grant did not pre-
vent the advent of Democratic House from
the elections of 1874. So long as the party
in power retains its hold on the Senate its
discontinued members do not feel any great
qualms in tumbling them out of the House.
1t is far from improbable that this may be
done this year.
What the ultimate result would be it is i'm
possible even to surmise with any defniteness.
One thing we can be pretty sure of. If there
is to be a Democratic House opening its first
session in December, 1907, and sitting well
into the Presidential campaign OF 1908, the
party will have a chance to show what it really
wishes, to discuss with some sense of respon-
sibiity what its course shall be for that cam
paign, and thus to offer TO the country a more
definite choice than it has had in good many
years. 1t will be great opportunity and a
severe test.