The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-09-10
A LEADERS, PROPHECY

4uC MldIdl NSWS-ElSSJIO lays tld'
Hon. Champ Clark of Missouri, leader
of the democratic mircrity. has lately
given publicity to the idea as 10 IT,
prospect sns democratic success in
the elections of members of the lower
house of congress, which takes place
next year.
He takes a very cheerful view OF
the situation and freely predicts that
democrats will be in the majority in
the next congress, which will give
the party great leverage in carrying
the presidential election of 1912.
Mr.. Clark, as summary of his
views on the subject, says:
"The frsl step toward electing a
democratic president in 1912 is to
elect a democratic house in 1910,
which we will probably do. Even
many republicans believe that. The
,precedents favor that result.
Generally the party carrying the
presidency at one election loses the
house at the election next coming.
Generally the party which makes a
general revision of the tariff loses
the house al the next election.
The republicans revised the tariff
in 1872 and lost the house in 1874.
They revised the tariff in 1890 and
lost the house by a tremendous ma
jority in November of that year. The
democrats revised the tariff in 1894
and lost the house three months later.
The republicans revised the tariff in
1897 and carried the house by the skin
of their teeth in 1898, having only
thirteen majority. 1t is the consen-
sus of public opinion that they would
have lost but for the glamour of the
Spanish war
In the fifty-ninth congress the re-
publicans had a majority in the house
of ia. In the sixtieth congress they
had a house majority of f1fty-seven.
In the present house their majority is
only fOrty-seven. Even a blind man
can see thar the current runs against
them. Holding all the seats that we
now have we must gain only twenty
four in order to control the next
house.
Surely the tariff fiasco ought to
give US not only twenty-four seats
now held h. the republicans, but
vice twenty-four. Indeed, the Payne
Aldrich bill is such a defiance of pub
ic opinion, such thwarting of pub
ic desire hat we ought to have as
zig a majority in the sexty-second con-
yress as we had in the fifty-second. |
when even New England sent more
democrats than republicans to the
house, as fruits of the Mckinley bill. /
"A few figures may serve to eIuci- !
late the situation, and here they are:
There are nineteen republican |
members whose pluralities range be-
ow one thousand; nine whose plurali-
les are belo wtwo thousand, and
bove one thousand, and eighteen
whose pluralities are below three
thousand, and above two thousand.
hat makes forty-six all told.
with thu current running against
hem not a man back of the forty
tx is certain of reelection
lone other thing is quite likely to
clip us in 1910. In any event the SEN
tie will remain republican till 1913.
When the beneficiaries of the
'ayne-Aldrlch bill reflect upon that
act and uron the further fact that
hey will hold the white house till
919, they may conclude that there is
o sense in squandering their wealth
electing q republican house in 1910.
nd therefore leave republican can
idates to paddle their own canoes. {
Democratic prospects are improv- I
lg every hour" /