Semi-weekly herald., 1912-08-12
WHERE DO THEY STAND.

The Democrats Of the country are
now trying to figure out where they
are and where they will be after cleo
ton. As it is now the house OF rep
resentatives is Democratic and the
senate is Republican. There has been
a feeling in this country that the
congress and the president should be-
long to the same party that the prin
ciples of some party may be carried
into effect. When one party has one
branch of congress and the other party
has the other or the president it is
impossible for the people to determine
which party is responsible for what
ever bad legislation may result.
1t is natural that united party
will, when in power, do everything in
its power TO make its policies popular
with the people. Only through har-
mony can the best efforts be obtained.
This fact needs no comment mas
much as it is recognized everywhere.
The Democrats are claiming that
they are sure to elect Wilson and also
claim that if they can hold the house
as it is now and take three places
from the Republicans in the senate
they will have the entire machinery
of the government under Democratic
control. While the Republicans do
not grant all these claims they are
perhaps willing to concede that if the
Democrats elect the president it would
be better for them to elect majority
of both branches of congress SO that
the people can locate the credit and
the responsibility for whatever may
result with the actions of the admin
istration.
With but few exceptions in this
country the party that elects the presi-
dent also elects the house of repre-
sentatiyes. This is true and the rea-
son is that when president is voted
for at the same time all Of the mem
bers of the lower house of congress
are voted for and as both branches
are necessary for making of laws it
follows that the party that elects the
president is most likely to elect the
members of the house as well. The
exceptions to the rule were in the Sc
lection of Taylor, the Wing candi-
date, in 1S4s, and Hayes, the Repub-
lican candidate, in 1876.
1t has been a common occurrence
that the party electing both the presi-
dent and the house of representatives
has lost the house in the middle of
the presidential term and this has
meant a reputation of the party and
its policy of government. This re-
pudiation of the party happened at the
congressional elections of 1878, 1882,
1890, 1894 and 1910.
In 1856 the Democrats, with Bu-
chanan as their leader, defeated the
then young Republican party and had
control of all departments of govern
ment, but two years later they lost
the house of representatives and in
1860 lost both branches of congress
and also the president. The Demo-
CAabiC parry hSNSi 6oe ShsAA SS"sa -
of the national government after 1858
until 1892 when they again came back
in all departments of the government
with Grover Cleveland as president.
In 1894 the people repudiated the ad-
ministration and elected Republican
house and senate. In 1896 the Demo-
Gratis lost every department of gov
ernment and were unable to take any
part in the administration of govern
mental affairs in any department un-
til 1910 when they again got control
of the house of representatives.
Leading Republicans of the country
hope that should Wilson be elected
that the Democrats will carry both
branches of congress and insist that
in the event that it so happens the
life of the party will be short, re-
membering the Buchanan and the
Cleveland experiences.
The Republicans are willing to
grant the requests of the Democrats
in the event that they are able to
elect Wilson, but they are far from
conceding that Wilson will be elect
ed. The Republicans are now more
hopeful than ever since the Bull Moose
party has turned down the negro vo-
ters in this country who will all vote
for Taft. Many Democrats in the
south are counted for Roosevelt.