The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1908-09-26
MUST Fight HARD
TO CARRY HOUSE
REPUBLICAN LEADERS FEAR PAR.
TY APATHY MAY GIVE
DENIS. MAJORITY.
Lead In Congress for Democrats Would
Greatly Handicap Taft-consres-
sional Committee is Actively Puch-
ing Campaign In Doubtful states--
Many Close Districts.

Washington, Sept 24.--It would be
the easiest fling in the world for Taft
and Sherman TO be elected on the ma
tional ticket and at the same time for
the republicans to lose the House of
Representatives. That is one thing
which is giving the republican con-
gressional committee good deal of
concern nowadays. 1t would do an
immense amount of harm to the sue
cess of the Taft administration If IL
should be confronted with a hostile
majority in the lower house of con-
gress.
In the first place, it would be prac
tically impossible to carry through any
satisfactory plans for tariff revision ac-
cording to the republican idea. 1t
probably would be necessary to have
an extra session of congress early in
November so that a tariff revision
measure might be rushed through and
signed by President Roosevelt before
the 4th of March.
Otherwise the democrats, in spite of
the republican control of the senate
which is assured for years to come.
would be able to hold the whip hand
on all legislation. They could dictate
terms in regard to the tariff, and as
all legislation affecting revenue must
originate in the house it would be for
them to create a tariff bill, which a
republican senate and a republican
president would have to modify.
Not Difficult to Lose House.
1t is not so hard to lose the house
of representatives as most people seem
to imagine. According to the last edi-
ton of the congressional directory, al
lowing for vacancies, there were 224
districts represented by republicans,
and only 1877 by democrats. This pro
duced the usually large republican ma
jority of AZ votes in the house of rep
resentatives. They were chosen during
the off year of 1905, and under ordinary
circumstances it would be fair to as
sumo that If the republicans are to
carry the national election this year
they ought to win majority in the
house at the same time
There are conditions, however, which
make the republican leaders anxious
and they will put in good deal of
time between now and election to re-
build their forces in a number of the
congressional districts where there IL
danger of defeat.
An examination Of the whole field
covering the congressional districts in
the northern states shows that the re-
publicans might lose control Of the
house without half trying. A repub-
lican majority of Al on the floor means
hnf a
out that majority entirely and give the
democrats control of the house.
Many Doubtful Districts.
In reality, of course, there are great
many more than that number of doubt
full congressional districts. There are
some districts where the republican
majority is normally large, and yet
where the chance of winning is ex-
tremely small. In quite a number of
cases there are factional fights, which
will interfere with a straight out test
of strength between the parties.
In more than one strong republican
district a party candidate has been de-
feated at the primaries only to an
nounce his intention Of running indie
pendently before the people, In other
cases the democrats have nominated
men who are personally popular and
who are likely to win the election en-
tirely aside from Bryan's party
strength
While 1t is true that the signs of the
times all point to the election of Taft
and Sherman on the national ticket, it
need surprise no one If the republicans
lose control Of the house of represent
atives, largely. if not entirely. as a re-