The Paducah sun., 1906-04-21
NEXT CONGRESS
GIVEN ATTENTION
~ 's : II
Republican Leaders Predict a
Certain Majority.
Cannon Would Like to See Smg Ma
jority Rather Than I'm
..n wcildly One.
DEMOCRATS CAN DO LITTLE

| Washington Cor. Chicago Tribune)
There are a good many distin-
guished gentlemen at the capitol now
adays who are In a serious frame OF
mind regarding the result of the con-
gressional elections next November.
1t is the one subject which is being
discussed daily both in republican
and democratic. cloakrooms.
The fate of big men Is at stake in
more than one way, and the game Of
politics is being played on the floor
of the house with the sole idea of
securing some advantage for either
side which may determine the COM
plexion of the next house of repre-
sentatives.
This is an of year., measured by
the presidential standard. There
easily might be a reversal of form in
the house without shaking the Roose-
welt administration in any particular
way, but 1t would have an immense
influence upon at least two distin-
guished patriots at the south end of
the capitol, to say nothing of the
members whose seats are involved.
Uncle Joe Cannon today is easily.
next to President Roosevelt himself.
the best known and probably the best
liked man in the country. Yet il the
republicans should suffer a reverse at
the election in November and the
democrats should regain control of
the house of representatives. Uncle
Joe, in spite of his years and his
honors, would have to step down
from the speakers chair, where he
has been such a picturesque figure,
and in his place would be seated a
little bundle OF wires from Missis-
sippi known as John Sharp Williams.
Usual Bogy for Republicans.
Just at this time in every long
session of congress between preslden-
tial elections the party in power gets
into a blue funk as to the prospects
of success. This perhaps accounts
for the fact so many we'll known re-
publicans are anxious about the re-
suit this year They do not go so
far as to say the republicans are
likely to lose the house, but there>is
scarcely an important member on the
republican side who does not shake
his head in ominous fashion when the
election is talked over.
Some even have urged the passage
of important legislation at this ses-
sion of congress on the ground that
democrats may secure control OF the
next house. That would be, OF
course, only negative power, but the
democratic managers would be able
to dictate legislation just the same
An administration cannot be success
full from a purely governmental
standpoint unless 1t is backed up by
good working majority of both
houses of congress. II the demo-
Gratis should secure control of the
house, they could not pass any of
their own measures, but neither could
the republicans.
Control of the house is indispens-
ible to the successful framing of APP
preparation bills. Besides that, re-
publicans could originate no great
measures on which they could appeal
to the country in the next presiden-
tial election, and they would have to
share the honor of any legislation
with the democratic house of repre-
sentatives.
Lesson i'm Last Election.
All the old heads in the republican
part firmly are convinced they had a
little too much of a good thing in the
last presidential election. The un-
bounded popularity of President
Roosevelt resulted in a perfect tidal
wave so far as the house of repre-