Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-16
Democratic Strength in the Senate.

\ few DAYS ago a prophecy that the
democrats would control the Senate in the
SiXty-secCnd Congress would have been
received By those supposedly couversant
with political conditions with justified
scorn. But the election in Maine on Mon
day has given cause for a changed view
Of the outlook. What was apparently i'm
possible has become possible. though not
yet probable II Is assured that a demo-
crat will take the seat of Senator Hale.
That in itself will reduce the republican
majority, which is now twerty-siX votes;
In total membership oc ninety-two. In
order to secure the control Of the Senate,
on straight party vote regardless Of any
insurgent republican factions, the demo-
Gratis must gain total of thirteen seats,
or twelve more than that just secured in
Maine.
To show the possibility of this achieve
ment 1t is necessary only to look at hage
49, In the second edition Of the Congress
sionai Directory for the past session of
Congress, where are printed the names
Of senators whose terms expire on the Sd
Of March, 1911 In this class are six
democrats and twenty-four republicans.
This was the group elected in consequence
OF the great republican victory Of 1904,
when the democratic party, under the
nominal leadership of Parker, all but
collapsed throughout the north and west.
OF the reelection Of democrats from .lle
six states Of Texas, Virginia, Tennessee,
Mississippi, Maryland and Florida there
is but little doubt, with the possible ex-
ceptions of Tennessee and Maryland. If
this were a republican year there might
be a chance Of republicans succeeding
Senator's Frazier and Rayner But this is
not so recognized. The result in Maine
was not needed to indicate pronounced
anti-repub!ican tendency. s.ia>r a..ss
More probable than All orerturn in those
two states are changes in such states as
Rhode Island, Indiana, Nebraska, Mon
tana, New York, Ohio, Delaware, New
Jersey, Nevada, Washington. Utah and
Missouri. These, with Maine, make lust
thirteen, or the precise number needed
b. the democrats to carry the Senate by
a bare majority of two votes. In the
small states Of Nevada, Rhode Island and
Delaware, where there are no republican
factional fights to, make, Democratic vie
tory particularly probable, the republican
margins in the last congressional elections
were slender. In Rhode Island a change
OF $500 votes from one side to the other
would give the state 10 the democrats
In Nevada n change Of 900 votes would
effect democratic victory. In Delaware a
change Of 800 votes would bring the same
results
Party conditions In New York; Indiana,
Nebraska. Ohio and New Jersey are
known to be conducive to, democratic
hopes. The retirement Of Senator War
ner from the Missouri race for reelection
has been accepted as q sign of demo-
cratic success in that direction. Even
though the democratic gain in the Senate
should not be sufficient TO swing the con-
troll from the republicans X is almost as
sured, regarding the result in Maine in
dicative OF Il general tendency, that the
present republican majority in the upper
house will be reduced materially. All
this is apart from the possibilities arising
from the admission of the two new
states. where the democratic strength is
recognized as al important factor in fu-
sare political affairs.