New-York tribune., 1910-07-20
Democrats Have Formidable
Task to Make Good
Their Boasts.
IN THE DOUBTFUL DISTRICTS
Congressional Campaign To Be.
Formally Opened in Less
Than Two Weeks-De-
mand for Literature.
from The Tribune Bureau /

dLlpilS. "Ull6 the b6DlOC1dllC HeduQua1-
ters will be in Washington and Chicago,
| in both of which cities the Republicans
will also maintain branch headquarters
Millions of copies of speeches and other
so-called literature" is now being
printed, and for the next three months
| the mails will be loaded with the mes
sages of hope and promise to American
| voters.
The House of Representatives consists
| of 391 members, the Republican major
ity being A. Francis Curtis, the expert
of the Republican Congressional Com
mittee. has compiled a list of so-cailed
"doubtful'' districts. He has included
| in this list all districts where the plu-
rality of the successful candidates two
years ago was less than 5000 The cam
paign of both parties will centre in the
| 145 districts. Mr.. Curtis's figures show
that the 145 doubtful districts are now
represented by seventy seven RepubH-
cans and sixty-eight Democrats.
The fight will be fiercest in f1fty-four
districts where the pluralities Of the
successful candidates two years ago
were less than 1000. These f1fty-four
districts are now represented by twenty
four Democrats and thirty Republicans.
Twenty-nne members of the present
House. nine of them Democrats. were
elected two years ago by pluralities Of
less than 1000. If the Democrats hold
what they have and gain in the twenty
districts where Republicans were elected
by less than 1000 plurality, the next
House will be Republican by five votes.
A Formidable Task.
Notwithstanding the insurgent dissen-
sions in the Republican ranks, the fig
ures show that the Democrats are con-
fronted with a formidable task if they
are to make good their boast that they
will control the next House. If the
Democrats carry every district whicn
they now control and are successful IN
every other district where the Republl-
can majority two years ago was less
than 1900, the next House will be DEM
ocratic by 16 majority. The magnitude
of this task will be appreciated when 1t
is remem bered that in nine districts two
years ago Democrats were elected to the
House by less than 600 plurality, while
in fifteen other districts the Democratic
pluralities were less than 2,ooo In
many of these districts the Republican
leaders are confident they will make
gains this year.
In five districts the pluralities two
wears ago were less than 100. In the 1oth
Massachusetts District the plurality OF
Representative OConnell DemocraO
was only four. E. w. Saunders, a Dem
ocrat, was elected by 81 plurality In the
5th Virginia District. The plurality OF
Representative Norris, of the 9TH Ne
bra ska District. was twenty-five MT
Norris, who was one of the leaders OF
the insurgents, Is facing another nara
fight this year Representative Joyce
carried the 18th Ohio District two years
ago by a plurality of 81. while Repre-
sentative Sheffield had only 81 plurality
in the 1st Rhode Island District
Champ CIark's Close District.
Some Of the most prominent members
of the House come from doubtful dis
tricts. Champ Clark, the minority lead
er will have to give close attention to
his district Mr. Clark is serving his
eighth term in Congress- Two years ago
his pl1rality was only 1888. Represen-
tative Lloyd, chairman of the Democratic
congressional Committee, will not be
able to overlook his own fences While
conducting a campaign for a Democratic
House. for his plurality two years ago
was only 3,011. Representative TaWney,
chairman of the Committee on Appro-
nriations. was elected two years ago by
a nlurality of 1851. The Democrats are
canning on Mr.. Tawney's trail this year,
hut the Minnesota Representative is &C
custorned to hard fighting, and his sue
cess in November is predicted by persons
IA rniIiar with the Minnesota political
situation Speaker Cannon's district Is
not classed as doubtful. inasmuch as
.1rncle Joe" had a plurality of 1875 two
years ago.
OF the Republican insurgents eleven
come from doubtful districts They are
Representatives Cary and Nelson, Wis
consin; Fish, New York; Steenerson.
Minnesota; Madison. Kansas: Haughen
and Kendall, Iowa; Hayes, California,
and Hfnshaw, Norris and Kinkaid. Ne
bras
Socialists May Be Represented.
If is possible that the Socialists may
have one or two representatives in the
next House The election of a Socialist
Mavor In Milwaukee has inspired the
members of that party with the hope of
CARRYING the 4th and 5th Wisconsin dis
tricts In November.
Victor Berger, one Of the best known
Socialists in the United States, has been
nominated for Congress in the 9Th Dis
trict now represented by William H
Stafford. Nearly ten thousand votes
were cast two years ago by the Social
ISIS in the Milwaukee district. now rep
resented by William ]. Cary.
The New York headquarters of the
RenIblican Congressional Committee
will he on the thirteenth floor of the St
Iames Building. They will be opened
an August 1. with Representative Lou
densIager. OF New Jersey, in charge
representative Mckinley. chairman Of
tho committee. will divide his time be-
tween New York and Chicago. All the
camraien speakers for the Middle West
and rhe Pacific Coast will be directed
,ron7 the Chicago headquarters. where
c-olonel Henry Casson, sergeant-at-arms
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