The Washington herald., 1911-08-21
G. 0. P. MAJORITY
MAY BE REDUCED
Senate Control in Doubt with
Two New States.
BOTH PARTIES CLAIM OFFICES
Reduction of Republican Majority
in Upper House by Deaths May
BE Further Increased When
Arizona and New Mexico State
Elections Are Held.

When President Taft signed the bill
admitting Arizona and New Mexico to
the Union he gave approval to an act
that may go long way within the next
year i'll wiping out the Republican ma
jority in the United States Senate. Four
new Senators will be added to the rolls
in January, 1872 by reason of the admis-
sion to Statehood of the two Territories.
Nominally, the Senate is now Republi-
can. AS matter of fact, the Senate is
in the control of a hybrid majority COM
posed of insurgents and Republicans
As at present constituted, the Senate
is composed of fifty Republicans and
forty Democrats. There are two vacan-
cies, one created by the death of Sena-
arising from the death of Senator Frye,
II Maine. The legislatures of both
States are Democratic, and the vacan-
lies will be filled by members of that
party. Upon the election of Senators by
The Maine and Colorado legislatures the
lominal Republican majority in the Sen
ate will be reduced from ten to eight.
Should Arizona and New Mexico send
our Democratic Senators to Washing
reduced TO four.
1t will thus be seen that while the sup
posedly responsible. Republican Senate
leadership is now having troubles, its
difficulties would be heightened by the
election of four Democratic Senators by
Arizona and New Mexico.
Elections to fill all State offices will
De held in Arizona and New Mexico at
an early date Arrangements to that end
will be perfected as soon as the President
formally issues a proclamation announc-
ing his approval of the act admitting the
Territories to Statehood. The campaign
has already begun in Arizona and New
Mexico. So far as Washington is con-
cerned interest centers in the election of
Senators
According 10 Delegate Andrews. of New
Mexico, the new State will go Republican
overwhelmingly. There isn't any doubt
as 10 where New Mexico stands polite
ally" said Delegate Andrews We will
have seventy-three members in our first
State legislature. I venture to say that
of this number not more than twenty
will be Democrats. New Mexico will
send two Republican Senators to the
United States Senate
1t is quite generally agreed here that
the chances favor the election of Repub-
lican Senators In New Mexico. But there
Zona- Arizona is nominally Democratic
Although now represented in Congress by
a Republican, Arizona has invariably sent
Democratic delegates to Washington.
Democrats Are Confident.
The Democrats are confident of win
ming this year. However, word hasDeen
received here that the Republicans of
Arizona intend to put up a stiff fight
to turn the new State into the Republi-
can column. This years election will
probably determine to some extent
whether the new States shall cast their
electoral votes for the Republican of
the Democratic candidate in the Presi-
dental election of 1872 The leaders of
both parties are alive to the situation.
Territories usually have been grateful
TO the party through whose instrument
talfty they have been admitted to the
Union. The Arizona-New Mexico State
hood act was approved by a Republican
President. Republicans here say that
this fact will give their party prestige
in the elections soon to be held in Ari-
zona and New Mexico