The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-08
HOPE 10 CONTROL
SENATE AND HOUSE
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL
cOMMfTrEE BEGINS WORK
WITH RENEWED vIGoR.
LEADERS CONFIDENT
EXPECT TO ELECT ENOUGH DEMO-
Gratis TO REVERSE THE RE-
PUBLICAN MAJORITY VOW
IN THE sENATE.
BY VICTOR ELLIOTT.

WASHINGTON. April members
NJ the Democratic congressional COM
mittee have begun work with renewed
vfgor on plans for the coming congress
sionai campaign, and they aim, not
only to maintain their present majority
In the House, but to capture the SEN
ate rs well. The Democratic gains
Of last fall. together with the fac
tional troubles In the ranks of the
Republicans. have given rise TO hope
the they will increase their major
uy IN the House, and also gain con-
troll OF the Senate at the elections In
November
Up to the present. the work Of
the committee has been Of a. pre-
iirninary chara cter but the members
soon Will begin the work Of investi-
eating the records of the Republican
members OF Congress with a view
TO unearthins the vulnera Bile spots for
attack. The House Democratic lead
ers are confident they can retain con-
troll OF the lower body next year by a
substantial ma jority but they are not
taking any chances. 1t Is recognized
that there are many districts which
are nearly equal as to Republican and
Democratic voters. and In which II
will require little to throw the balance
one way or the other. But the Demo-
Gratis are especially optimistic this
year. and they place great reliance
on the record the Democratic House
made under the leadership OF Repre-
sentative Underwood.
Senate Margin 10 Small.
As to the situation in the Senate.
the Democratic leaders point to the
fact that margin of only five votes
now exists between the two parties
In the upper branch Of Congress-. The
installation Of four new senators from
New Mexico and Arizona does not
change the situation, for New Mex
leo has sent UP two Republicans and
Arizona two Democrats. with the
arrival OF these four new senators
the Senate stands Republicans. 81:
Democrats. As: with one vacancy. the
vacancy being In the State OF Colo
RADIO where Senator Charles J. HUGHES
died and the political leaders there
have been unable to agree on his sue
cessor thus costing the Democrats
one Of their number.
Thirty senators viii retire to pri-
vate life on March Sd next. II they
have not been reelected meanwhile
by the Legislatures of their several
States. In the OUTGOING list there
are seventeen Republicans and thir-
teen Democrats. and the followers
Of Jackson hope to return these thlr-
teen and capture a sufficient number
OF the seats Of the other seventeen
to give them a majority. In then Hist
of OUTGOING members there are some
Of the most influential members of
the Senate on the Democratic side as
we'll AZ on the Republican.
The seventeen Republicans who
must withdraw from public life X not
reelected are: Senators Cullom. OF
Illinois: Nelson. Of Minnesota: Rich
erdson, Of Dels ware: Wetmore. of
Rhode Island: Warren. Of Wyoming;
Smith. Of Michixan: Kenyon. Of Iowa:
Gu9Renheim. Of Colorado: Gamble, of
South Dakota: Dixon, OF Montana.
Curtis. Of Kansas: Crane. OF Massa-
chusetts Burnham. OF New Hamp-
shire: Brown. OF Nebraska; Briggs.
Of New Jersey: Bourne. Of Oregon. and
BQrah. Of Idaho.
The Democratic senators whose
terms will expire next March are:
Davis, Of Arkansas: Bacon, OF Geor-
gia; PAynter. Of Kentucky: Foster. OF
Louisiana: Gardner. Of Maine; Percy.
OF Mississippi: Simmons. OF North
Carolina: Owens, OF Oklahoma: TILL
man. Of South Carolina: Taylor, OF